The Boy Who Lived Elsewhere
by Sable Snow
Summary: When Harry is left without a family the Ministry decides to find him a new one, or several. Join Harry as he struggles to find a new life and home after his was so harshly stolen from him.
1. Prologue

This is just the prologue. Future chapters will be longer as Harry ages.

 **Disclaimer:** Harry Potter is owned by our lord and savior JK Rowling. Not me, unfortunately.

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The tragedy on Halloween night, 1981, was greatly overshadowed by the celebration. Hooray, the dark lord is dead! But at what cost? An infant was traumatized and orphaned that night. His godfather convicted of murder. Both sets of grandparents where long since dead. The only remaining relative to the hero of the wizarding world, was his mother's sister, who wanted nothing to do with him.

And it was a good thing she didn't. Hell would have been raised if The Boy Who Lived had been left to muggles. Most thought he deserved to be raised as a king! Some thought he needed to be treated as a regular boy, allowing him to grow up with some semblance of normalcy.

A bidding war of sorts began. Wizards and witches from all walks of life came forward with their bid. Some offered a well stocked library where a growing boy might find his fill of knowledge, where others offered a loving family with children his age to grow up among peers. Goods and services were offered in exchange for the boy, and beautiful environments also made the list.

If a witch thought she was a fantastic cook, she would bid her culinary skill towards his upbringing. If a wizard was an expert in a new magical field, he would bid his knowledge, threatening to keep it to himself should the boy be placed elsewhere.

Money was the one things that would not be considered. Everyone knew of the Ministry's past corruption and Voldemort's infiltration, and were they to accept monetary bids for the life of a child, they would have had a revolt on their hands.

Well-off families therefore had no advantage over the lower class. Those who only bid possessions or other objects that could be broken down to a show of wealth were thrown out immediately. What mattered most, was the future welfare of the child, not what could be bought for him.

Another rule they enforced: any witch or wizard found to have had previous ties to Voldemort was disqualified from placing a bid. Whether the party in question had been imperiused during their actions, and pardoned of the penalties, was irrelevant. The ministry didn't want any chance of a Voldemort supporter gaining custody of the boy who brought about his downfall because of a fault in their justice system.

There was a committee created temporarily in the Ministry to filter through these bids and ultimately make this important decision. After discarding pointless bids and those that broke their only two stipulations, it became a very difficult task. How could one possibly weigh the importance of a nurturing family, against that of a safe, fun, beautiful, or exciting environment? That's what most of their remaining bids came down to, and the committee argued over this controversy for days.

Ultimately, they agreed upon a bid that offered a cultured upbringing. He would grow up among well-mannered and polite people that would teach him the ins and outs of wizarding society. As he was currently (and would likely continue to be) the most known wizard of the era, the committee thought it prudent he learn how to deal with their world in a proper manner.

This bid came from one of the sacred twenty-eight, the families that had retained their pure-blood status as far back as could easily be counted. There were other bids from these sacred families, but most of them had connections to Voldemort, and that just would not do. This specific family had nothing resembling those ties, and such an old family would surely be able to raise the child with little difficulty.

Finally, without much fanfare, Harry Potter was handed over to Edgar and Bonnie Macmillan.


	2. A Chance at Propriety

Edgar Macmillan worked at the ministry as part of the Department for Magical Transportation, which didn't require all that much work. Specifically, he worked for the Floo Network Authority, and tended to fill out paperwork more than anything else. Every mishap or mistaken destination had to be recorded, every discolored flame or extended travel time documented. Edgar enjoyed the monotony of it. He didn't often go out after work either, instead preferring to relax at home. Perhaps because of this, he had grown pudgy around the middle in recent years, matching nicely with his short stature. He kept his dark hair short and neat, and shaved diligently, only allowing for a trimmed mustache. Edgar was a simple man.

Almost his polar opposite, Bonnie Macmillan was more excitable than her husband. Enthusiasm for life seemed to radiate from her, and she was always ready to tackle the day. She didn't have a job, but found plenty to do around the house and for her children to keep her occupied. Being a mother, after all, was a full time job. She was thin but as short as her husband, and preferred to let her dirty blonde hair fly freely around her face.

The Macmillans had two children of their own. Their oldest, Ruth, was 9 years old. She was the spitting image of her father, but had her mother's spirit and high energy. Their son, Ernest, was just a month older than Harry was, but was a quiet child.

When Harry was delivered to them, Bonnie could not have been more ecstatic. _They_ had won the bid! Well, more accurately, her mother-in-law, Eleanor, had won the bid for them. She lived with them, and provided the "culture" aspect promised in their bid. Eleanor was strict and didn't tolerate the frivolity that Bonnie was likely to instill in her children should she be allowed to raise them without a stern hand. Bonnie didn't mind having Eleanor around though. She could see the love Eleanor had for her grandchildren, and couldn't stand the thought of tearing them apart.

Harry would be sharing the nursery with Ernie for the time being. When they were older, they would get their own rooms, but for now, this was easiest for Edgar and Bonnie. The boys seemed to get along well enough, or at least as far as they could tell with children that couldn't speak a sentence between them. There was no hitting or hair pulling at least, and they took that as a win.

They spent most of their time playing together, but occasionally Harry would stop and look around the room. Not finding what he was searching for he'd start calling "Mummy! Mummy!" until someone came to comfort him. The first several times he did this, Bonnie couldn't stop the tears that would spring to her eyes. She would rush over to Harry, pick him up, and start rocking gently. She would whisper sweet things to calm him down, and apologize that she wasn't his real mother, hoping he understood enough of what she was saying.

Eleanor disapproved of Bonnie's reactions. "Don't coddle the boy," she would say. "He'll never grow up if you don't let him!" She disapproved of many things, though, so Bonnie learned to ignore Eleanor when it wasn't important. Eventually, Harry started calling Bonnie his mum, and Edgar his dad as that's what both Ruth and Ernie called them. Eleanor stepped in again and forbade this action. "They aren't your parents, Harry. You must call them their proper title. That's Mrs. Macmillan and Mr. Macmillan." Harry shortened each to one word ("Missmillan and Mistmillan") and Eleanor had to accept that for the time being.

During playtime, Eleanor would stop the boys from their activities if one took a toy away from the other. She would explain that the proper way to handle the situation was to ask nicely, instead of taking. They couldn't do that of course, so they would stare at her, or sometimes cry, if she didn't return the toy.

When the boys were two, Eleanor starting cracking down on their table manners. If they were eating a snack then the proper way to indulge oneself was to pick up one piece at a time, and chew it thouroughly. One did not disturb the other pieces until the first had been swallowed. Harry was destructive, and it took many removed snacks before he learned not to smack his hand down in his food to send it flying. Ernie seemed to pick her lessons up more readily.

As for dinner, Eleanor wouldn't take the child's food away, as that would be cruel. Instead, she taught them to clean up after each mess, before being allowed to continue their meal. "If I spill soup on my chin I'm not just going to leave it until I'm done! I clean up my mess and then I continue eating, and that's what these boys need to learn." It did not matter how young they were. "Teach them early and they'll never forget their manners."

Right after Harry turned 3, he used magic for the first time. Eleanor had placed him in a time-out for some small infraction of her rules, and Harry thought this very unfair. When Bonnie came to check on him, she laughed at the sight! In this locked room, all alone, he had managed to summon just about every toy in the house to pile around him. When he noticed her, he held a toy toward her as proof of his accomplishment. She praised him for his magic, and told him not to let his grandmother find out. Mrs. Macmillan played with him for a bit, but banished the toys as soon as she heard Eleanor coming. She wouldn't have her children punished for being children.

In late august, the whole family made a trip to Diagon Alley. Harry had been before, but never with the whole family. Ruth was eleven years old now, and would be starting at Hogwarts in just a week. They were here to get her school supplies, the most exciting of which was her magic wand. Harry wanted one for himself. Their attention on Ruth, none of the adults saw him sneak over to shelf and grab a slender box. He pulled the lid off quietly, and just as he was reaching for the handle, Eleanor grabbed his wrist and pulled it away.

"What are you doing? Proper little boys keep their hands to themselves! You know better than to grab what's not yours!" She exclaimed, shaking his arm. Harry put the box back, muttering apologies. The other customers in the shop were staring at him now and whispering to one another.

Shuffling back to his family, he grabbed Mrs. Macmillan's hand and tried not to cry. Proper little boys didn't do that in public.

A short while later, Ruth was the owner of a new wand, and they were heading to Flourish and Blotts. Harry was dragging his feet, kicking pebbles as they went. One of them went farther than he intended, and hit an oblivious Eleanor.

"Harry! Stop that this instant! We don't kick rocks while we walk! Your stride should be even and quiet, disturbing no one and nothing around you. And while you're at it, I've told you a hundred times, Harry, to stand up straight!" Lecture over, Eleanor turned back around.

The Macmillans made to continue on, but the crowd that had gathered around them wouldn't part.

"Who is she shouting at?"

"Do you think that's-?"

"Honey look, I think that's H _arry Potter_!"

"Oh my god, I can see his scar!"

"Who does she think she is treating _him_ like that?"

"I saw her do this in Ollivanders too!"

Everyone was whispering and pointing at Harry and Eleanor. Harry tried to disappear behind the safety of Mrs. Macmillan's legs, but blocking his view did nothing for his ears. There was no shutting out the cacophony building around him - building _because_ of him.

"Hey! That's Harry Potter!" Harry flinched as this comment was said pointedly towards them, no longer hiding among the crowd. "You can't treat him like that!"

Gaining confidence, more people voiced their opinions.

"He's just a boy, let him have his fun!"

"He's not hurting anyone, so why are you hurting him!"

"He's the Boy-Who-Lived! He didn't live to take that nonsense from you!"

Bonnie was crouched down with Harry now, trying to comfort him. "It's alright Harry, just ignore them. You didn't do anything wrong, and they're not mad at you. People just get a little silly sometimes!"

Her soothing voice wasn't helping much as the crowd continued. Finally, having enough of their comments against her family, she stood back up and raised her voice. "All of you stop this instant!" The crowd fell silent at her demand, interested in what she had to say. "Can't you see you're scaring him?" Harry was firmly clutching her robes as he stood rooted behind her legs. His face was burrowed into the cloth, trying to hide his tears. Some of those gathered looked ashamed, but not as many as she'd hoped. "You have no right to come here and judge any one of us. We're his family, and we know what's best for him. All of you should learn to mind your own business!" Bonnie turned to her family and commanded, voice firm, "I think we'll be going now."

Grabbing hold of Harry, she apparated home, her family following after. They would get Ruth's school things another day, and without the whole family in attendance.

The crowd in Diagon Alley did not disperse, however. They stood together, discussing the fate of the wizarding world's savior and bringing other passersby into the fold. Each time the story was told it expanded to include more heinous acts. One witch swore she saw Eleanor back-hand Harry, and another claimed she had shot a spell at him. Many were outraged on Harry's behalf, and collectively decided to help the boy who had helped them all. They raised their complaints with the ministry, demanding Harry Potter be removed from such an abusive home.

Not believing the cries of abuse, but unable to ignore such a widespread complaint, the ministry was forced to act. They arrived at the Macmillan residence the very next day to collect Harry.


	3. Healthy Competition Never Hurt

Harry felt like a failure and a very bad little boy. Why else would he be taken away? He knew the Macmillans weren't _really_ his parents, and that he was an only child, but young as he was he didn't fully understand the situation. Still, he had always considered them to be his family, and was sad they must not feel the same of him. He probably did not deserve a family if he was so bad that they had to send him away. That was at least two families now that didn't want him.

He was at the Ministry for the time being, staying in their day care unit. Ministry officials without another form of child care dropped their children here daily on their way to work, and picked them up when they left. Kids of all ages were running around, having a good time, but Harry was slouched in a corner by himself. _I don't deserve to have fun_ , he thought, _I can't even sit straight like a good boy_. This thought sent him back into tears.

The woman who had deposited him here had approached him several times, trying to get Harry to play with the other children, or just eat a snack, but he never budged. He didn't know her name, though he was pretty sure she had told him. Instead, he referred to her as Blonde Bun, because that was the feature that stood out most on her pointed head. She had a stern look about her, and her clothes indicated she was a no-nonsense kind of person. Harry always breathed a sigh of relief when she walked away.

As the work day ended, Harry watched the kids disappear one by one. He was jealous of the happy homes they were all retreating to. When there was just a handful of children left playing, Harry noticed two adults enter and approach Blonde Bun. The man was tall, his hair a light brown and falling around his face, and he sported a scruffy beard. The woman seemed better kempt. Her face was soft and her shoulder-length brown hair was neatly pinned back.

The adults talked for a moment before a boy who had been racing life-like animal figurines with a friend ran over. He was clearly their son, and they stooped down to talk to him. Harry watched the boy nod his head a bit and then look over at him. This was nothing new; children had been staring at him all day. This time though, the boy was smiling, which was a first.

Together, the group came over to him.

"Harry, this is Amos and Tania Diggory, and their son, Cedric," Blonde Bun introduced.

Still not moving from his corner, Harry decided to extend a measure of the politeness he had been taught. "Pleased to make your acquaintance, Mr. and Mrs. Diggory," he mumbled. He should've offered his hand as well, but it was too firmly clutching his legs to his chest to bother with protocol.

"Well that was a very grown up response! But please, call me Tania." Mr. Diggory made no such offer.

"I know this is all very sudden, Harry, but the Diggorys are going to be your new family. They'd like to take you home now so you can get all settled in, alright?." Blonde Bun's explanation shocked him. New family? What about his old family? If he was allowed to have a family, then he wanted to go back to the Macmillans! Harry didn't know how to express what he wanted, and didn't know if he was even allowed to, so he just asked, "Why not Macmillans?"

"Oh that's very complicated, Harry. Maybe when you're older someone will explain it, but for now just know that they all loved you, but were unable to keep you." Harry was really starting to hate Blonde Bun.

"I don't wanna!" Harry cried, throwing his head down on his knees.

"Oh Harry," Tania sighed. "I know we can't replace the family that you knew, but we'd like to give you a new family to love. Maybe we can even set up a play date with the Macmillan's son so you'll still get to see them?" Head still down, Harry missed the subtle shake of the head that Blonde Bun sent Tania.

"It's time to go now, Harry. We can talk more at home," Mr. Diggory instructed.

When Harry still didn't budge, Cedric stepped forward. "Hi Harry, I'm Cedric," he introduced himself. "I've never had a brother before, but I'm excited to! Come home and we can play together all the time!" Cedric extended his hand towards Harry. He seemed so happy to have a live-in playmate, Harry felt he had no choice. He didn't want to take away this boy's happiness. That would be rude, and only bad boys didn't get to be happy.

Slowly nodding his consent, Harry grabbed Cedric's hand and stood up.

"That-a-boy!" Mr. Diggory expressed his delight. Whether it was towards him or his own son though, Harry wasn't sure. "Lead on Cedric, you know the way."

Still holding Harry's hand, Cedric began his trek through the Ministry and to the atrium. He was telling Harry about some of his toys at home, and what kind of games they could play together. Harry wasn't paying much attention, content to just stare at his shoes as they walked. The adults followed them, whispering to each other. In Harry's experience, whispering tended to lead to bad happenings and he wished they would stop. He stole glances back at them, failing to hear what they were saying.

When they reached the row of fireplaces they finally spoke up. "Harry, have you ever traveled by floo before?" Tania asked.

Harry nodded his head and said, "Mr. Macmillan worked for the floo network. We used it lots."

"Great!" Mr. Diggory exclaimed. Harry was beginning to think he always talked like that. Excitedly loud. "How about you go with Cedric though to make sure you don't come out the wrong end. Here you are Ced." He gave his son a pinch of floo powder and the boys stepped into the fireplace.

As he tossed the powder down, Harry heard Cedric yell, "The Digdug!" The green flames engulfed them, and Harry noted the glimpses of light signifying the passing of other fireplaces before finally coming to a halt in what he assumed was the Diggory's living room.

xXxXxXx

Life with the Diggorys was much different than with the Macmillans. Tania and Amos both worked at the Ministry (in the Department of Magical Accidents and Catastrophes and the Department for Regulation and Control of Magical Creatures respectively), so Harry found himself back in daycare with Cedric nearly everyday. Cedric was happy to introduce him to all of his friends there, but it took a while for Harry to warm up to them.

The only one Harry's age was Susan Bones. She lived with her aunt Amelia, who worked in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Harry learned that her parents were also dead, and through their morbid pasts they bonded.

In the late afternoon, one or both of the elder Diggorys would pick up the boys and head home. Tania was extremely accommodating to Harry, asking what he wanted for dinner or what he felt like doing, to try and make him feel welcome. She was kind like Mrs. Macmillan, so he grew close to her quickly.

Amos Diggory was another story. Harry didn't like loud noises, so his speech alone was off-putting. But more than that, Amos seemed to think that _Harry thought_ that he was better than Cedric. Harry thought no such thing though! He really liked his new friend. Cedric was always very patient with Harry, and would defend him from the bullies at daycare. He was up for anything, so if Harry didn't want to play a game, Cedric was happy to do something else. If anything, Harry thought Cedric was better than him in every way.

Unfortunately, Mr. Diggory couldn't see that. He felt the need to prove that being the savior of the wizarding world held no merit at all! His Cedric could've done it too, he'd wager.

Not long after Harry had moved in, Mr. Diggory started looking for chances to prove his point. If he saw the boys running around the yard, he'd say Cedric was the fastest runner, and then have the boys race to find out. If they were playing a card game, he would praise his son's exceptional strategies that would bring him victory (even if they were playing a game of luck). When they were working together on a puzzle, he stopped them, duplicated the puzzle, and had them competing for who could assemble it first.

Cedric would protest. He was older than Harry, so he had more experience. He was bigger than Harry, so his long legs carried him faster. Cedric felt these competitions were unfair, and wanted no part of them, but his father always managed to rope him in. Tania intervened a few times, telling her husband that Harry was their son now too, and he needed to treat the boys equally. These reminders would have Mr. Diggory leaving them alone for weeks sometimes, but he always reinstated the forced rivalry eventually.

Harry stopped wanting to play at home at all, seeking sanctuary at the Ministry. At the Digdug, they did more mundane things like looking at picture books and helping to prepare dinner. They saved their games for when Cedric's father couldn't see them.

On weekends or when they didn't have to work, the family would go on little adventures. That is, after all, what the Diggorys had bid. Excitement, adventure, experience, and thrills. In short, they had bid fun. Sometime they went exploring for magical creatures in their natural habitat, other times they went to Quidditch matches. Both of the Diggorys had a muggle parent, so they knew much about the muggle world too. They went to a circus one evening, and Harry was awed that they were able to do such daring feats without magic.

xXxXxXx

When Harry was 4, he received a toy broom for Christmas. He got other things too, but the broom is what he cared about most. Cedric had one, and had even let Harry ride it pretty much whenever he wanted, but it was nice to finally have his own. The boys could ride together now, instead of taking turns.

They rode their brooms at every chance. In the mornings before they were taken to day care, they just zoomed around the yard, as there wasn't time for much else. In the evenings, they'd stall dinner so they could pretend to be various famous Quidditch players, showing off their impressive skills. They weren't often allowed out after dark, especially in the cold of winter, so before bed, they'd talk about all the tricks they would do when they were older and had _real_ brooms. Brooms that could go faster than a train and fly as high as a plane. They wouldn't be stuck two feet off the ground.

In his jubilation, Harry had forgotten his number one rule: don't play where Mr. Diggory could see them. Their fun only lasted a week before he swooped in with his latest brilliant competition.

On New Years Day, they boys were flying around the yard, tossing a quaffle back and forth with the goal of never letting it fall in the snow. Inspired, Mr. Diggory turned their fun game of catch into a contest to find the best chaser.

He transfigured some fallen branches into hoops, and levitated them at different heights. The boys would then take turns flying towards them and trying to shoot the quaffle successfully through them. Cedric seemed to be throwing halfheartedly, and Harry was sure he'd seen one hoop move purposefully to allow the quaffle to soar through it. He tried his best, but it wasn't good enough to win the rigged contest.

Harry was sorry to realize that his guardian wasn't finished after that game. Mr. Diggory decided Harry deserved another chance, and created a tournament. They took turns as keeper next; Harry lost again. A game of seeker came next, and Mr. Diggory was disgruntled when Cedric lost. He had them play seeker twice more (all won by Harry) before moving on.

Their final match was a simple broom race. Mr. Diggory set up small obstacles for the boys to maneuver around, and marked the start and finish lines in the snow. An explosion of red sparks from his wand signaled for them to start, and they were off. The course circled the entire house, requiring them to dodge around trees and other plants, while turning and trying to maintain speed. He had also set up random patches along the ground to explode when the boys came near, shooting snow into the air, and muddling their vision. It would have been fun, if not for the circumstances which led them there.

Harry rounded the last corner of the house slightly ahead of Cedric. The last stretch of the race was just a straight shot to the finish line, so Harry was guaranteed a win as long as he maintained speed. Cedric wouldn't be able to catch up because their toy broom's speed were already at their limited maximum. About to cross the finish line, the ground in front of Harry erupted, once again showering him in snow. So close to the end, Harry hadn't expected it, and in shock, he jerked his broom to the side. He crashed straight into Cedric, causing them to finish the race simultaneously, and sending them head first into a nearby tree.


	4. Show and Tell

A quick glance around told him he wasn't in daycare, but in a simulated jungle. The walls were painted with large trees, branches extending onto the ceiling. There were monkeys actively swinging between trees and smaller animals running across the floorboards. The shining yellow eyes behind some bushes made Harry think a large cat must be stalking its prey. It would have been entertaining to watch if Blonde Bun hadn't been seated beside him.

"Oh good, you're awake! How are you feeling Harry?" She asked, leaning forward to take his hand.

Harry pulled his hand out of her grasp. Seeing her made him feel uncomfortable; he associated her with bad news. "I'm fine," he answered. "Where am I?" Before she could reply, Harry sat up in a panic, remembering what had happened. "Where's Cedric? Is he okay? I can't believe I did that. I didn't mean to I swear!"

"He's fine, Harry, it's all fine. No one blames you, dear. Lay back and calm down. You had a nasty gash on your head when they brought you in. To Saint Mungos, I mean. That's where we are now." She was trying to sound soothing, but it didn't help Harry one bit.

"Where's Cedric? Is _his_ head okay? I want to see him!" Harry was nearly yelling now. Cedric was his best friend, his brother really. Harry would never forgive himself if he had hurt him.

"He's in another room, recovering just as you are. I'm sorry, but you can't see him right now. You see, Cedric told us everything that happened. He told us what his father has been doing the past year and a half and how it led to your injuries. You won't be living with the Diggorys anymore."

Harry had seen this coming. He had lost nearly every competition between himself and Cedric because he was a failure. Then, he injured their son. Harry could understand why they wouldn't want him anymore. He wasn't nearly good enough to be a Diggory.

Knowing he'd be taken away from them eventually, didn't stop the tears now that it was happening. He would miss them.

Blonde Bun tried to console him, telling him his new family was sure to be wonderful. "The committee is together right now, selecting the next winning bid! And that's very difficult to do because there are so many people who love you, Harry, and want to be a part of your life! Isn't that lovely? Not all children are so lucky as to have hundreds of people wanting them."

Harry didn't feel lucky at all. He didn't understand the bids or the committee but he certainly didn't think they were lovely.

"Here drink this and sleep, dear. When you wake up, your new family will be waiting to meet you." Blonde Bun handed him a small vile, and he took it obediently.

His tears died away as sleep overtook him.

Nearby voices made him stir.

"-can't just wake him up now? I really haven't got all day to sit around waiting for him to wake up on his own." The voice was sharp, female. She sounded like the kind of person who was willing to take what she wanted if it wasn't given to her. It vaguely reminded him of Grandma Eleanor, and that wasn't a pleasant thought.

Harry slowly blinked his eyes open, searching for the source of the voice. There was a tall, slender woman standing in the doorway. Her skin was dark, hair black, and she looked annoyed. Her son stood by her, looking like he'd rather be anywhere else than here.

The healer standing with them was exasperated. The people she put up with often had her wondering why she'd chosen this profession. Blonde Bun was beside her, reminding the taller woman that it was Harry's best interest that mattered at the moment, not her schedule.

Annoyed, the woman turned towards Harry. Even with her lips pursed, Harry thought she was the most beautiful witch he had ever seen. Her eyes lit up when she saw him awake, delighted she wouldn't have to wait any longer.

"Oh, good! We were just talking about you, Harry." Her voice was softer now, but it felt unnatural to Harry. She clearly used her demanding tone more often than this one.

The healer stepped in before the woman could continue. "How are you feeling, Harry?" She didn't seem to need an actual answer as she started waving her wand over him. "Well, everything looks fine. No pain, dear?"

"No, nothing," Harry assured.

"Wonderful! Then you're free to leave. Try not to come back too soon!" With a small wave, the healer was gone.

Blonde Bun stepped up now. "Harry, this is Viola Zabini and her son, Blaise. He's the same age as you! I know how excited you must be to go start this new chapter in your life, but I want to talk to you a moment first. Mrs. Zabibi, if you could both wait outside?" She gestured at the door. Pursing her lips again, Mrs. Zabini complied, pulling her son out behind her.

Turning back to Harry, Blonde Bun sat down, now looking grave. "Thus far the committee has failed to provide you with a proper home, Harry. First the Macmillans, then the Diggorys, and now you'll be going home to another new family. I want you to memorize this address." She produced a business card for him to look at. "If you ever have any trouble at the Zabinis, if you're uncomfortable or if they hurt you in any way, I want you to tell me. You can owl me or fire call me at this address, okay? Do you promise?"

Harry just nodded his head. He had no intention of contacting Blonde Bun, no matter what circumstance he found himself in. He'd been moved enough already.

"That's a good boy. Alright, I'll let Mrs. Zabini take you home then. Goodbye, Harry!"

xXxXxXx

The Zabini's house was the largest Harry had ever been in. It had a second floor _and_ a basement. There were rooms that Harry deemed unnecessary like the parlor, the den, a second dining room ("We only use this room for special occasions"), and more bedrooms than their small family could possibly occupy.

His room was an emerald green. The bed was the largest he had ever seen and he climbed up to it immediately. It was soft, and Harry wanted to jump around on it, but he thought that might not make the best first impression, so he refrained. Instead he investigated the rest of his room. There were more toys than he would've ever asked for, neatly tucked away on shelves or in chests. His window overlooked the back garden which was surprisingly home to multiple colorful plants. They seemed to be thriving, even in the winter chill, and Harry had to wonder if there were charms to keep plants warm. He had his own bathroom as well, already stocked with soaps and shampoos for him.

All things considered, maybe it wouldn't be so bad with the Zabinis.

Mr. Zabini wasn't home when Harry arrived. "I prefer Mrs. Zabini for myself, but do call him Arnold, dear," Viola instructed when Harry asked about him. "God knows my last name has never sounded quite right on him. He's in Italy at the moment on business. He's gone quite a bit actually, sometimes spending a full week in other countries. We go with him occasionally, but it's lucky for us I had a business meeting this time! We might not have gotten to take you home if we'd left!"

Viola was self employed making her own line of perfumes. When she wasn't in the basement experimenting with different scents, she was out advertising and selling her fragrance to various businesses. She preferred to take the boys with her, not trusting the house elf to keep them alive while she was out.

She cared a lot about appearances. Before leaving the house she liked to fuss over the boys, ensuring their robes were neatly pressed, and their hair properly combed. She had to slather a whole jar of Sleekeazy on Harry's head to force his hair to lie back off his forehead. "We wouldn't want to hide that lovely face!"

Blaise just seemed bored out of his mind with his mother's fawning. He hadn't talked to Harry much yet, but it had only been a day, and Harry knew they would be friends in due time.

In Diagon Alley, Harry and Blaise walked on either side of Mrs. Zabini, each holding a hand. Harry realized she was quite popular as she seemed to know just about everyone they passed. With the women, phrases like "Yes, we must have lunch soon!" and "Oh do tell him I said hello" seemed to be her go-to conversation enders, and Harry used them as a signal that he should start paying attention again. With her male acquaintances, she was more hands-on. She greeted them with kisses on their cheek, or short hugs. When the conversation seemed to be dying, she'd touch their arm and compliment them to keep it going. Harry noticed Blaise roll his eyes at his mother's antics.

Harry heard his own name pop up regularly too. More often than not it was Mrs. Zabini's friends that brought him into their conversation. "Viola, is that Harry Potter? What is he doing with you?" With her more dense friends she would have to make introductions. "Oh heavens, how rude of me. Marge, this is Harry Potter! I've adopted him, isn't that wonderful? Harry this is my good friend, Marge."

He felt awkward every single time, but he tried to remember his manners and would reply with a shy, "Hello. It's nice to meet you." The women would squeal with joy, and the men tended to look rather impressed. That was usually all that was required of him, as Mrs. Zabini would steer the conversation to her own heroism in saving Harry from the abuse he'd faced thus far in life.

Harry began to understand why Blaise always looked so bored at his mother's side. He couldn't imagine putting up with all this chatter on a regular basis.

It became fairly normal for strangers to advance on them too. They would see him from a distance and approach for a chance to shake the hand of The Boy Who Lived, and thank him in person. Mrs. Zabini was always polite to these people ("You never know who it will come in handy to know, Harry"), but always excused them as soon as she could. These encounters were even worse than Mrs. Zabini's friends in Harry's mind. He just wanted to be left alone.

It was a few days later when Harry finally got to meet Arnold. "So this is Harry, is it? It's a pleasure to have you in our home, Harry! Now, why don't you boys run off and play so your mother and I can...talk." He seemed to search for the right word to describe what they were doing. Harry thought he must be rather silly to not know the word for talk.

Before Harry could put too much thought into it, Blaise was at his side, pulling him away. "Come on. You don't want to be around when they're together," Blaise said as he pulled Harry outside.

"What do you mean?" Harry questioned. This was the first time Blaise had volunteered to talk to him, and he wasn't going to let him off with just that.

"They're just gross, that's all. They're _definitely_ not going to talk." Blaise came to a stop in the garden Harry had seen from his room. He knelt down and started pushing some of the dirt around.

Perplexed by what he meant and what he was doing, Harry joined Blaise on the ground. "How are these plants alive? It's freezing out here. They should be dead."

Blaise glanced over, unsure if Harry was making a joke or was really that stupid. He decided it must be the latter. "Magic, obviously." Blaise rolled his eyes. "I don't know the specific spells, but I will one day. And then I'll cast them over the whole yard so nothing dies in the winter!"

"That's really nice," Harry said, smiling. "What are you doing?" Blaise had continued to dig in the dirt while they talked.

"These pods like to wiggle out of the soil as they grow. Every time they do you have to dig bigger holes to plant them in until they're ready to sprout."

"Can't you just put more dirt over them so they stay covered."

Blaise looked offended by this suggestion. "When you grow out of a shirt how about we just put another on top of it. That ought to be good enough right?" His voice was laced with sarcasm. "Just go away."

Harry had no intention of leaving, so he decided to help. He copied Blaise's actions, creating larger holes for the pods and then replanting them. Blaise's mood seemed to thaw as they worked, and Harry could tell that he really cared about the plants.

"When we're done, do you want to throw a quaffle around? I'm pretty good on a broom." Harry's suggestion went unanswered for a time, and he began to think he'd ruined his chance to be friends with his new "brother".

"Sure. I'll have Knobby get the brooms and stuff. We can't go back inside for a while."

xXxXxXx

The Zabini's had bid prestige, and they delivered. Months into living with his new family, Harry had been on several outings with Viola. Each was like his first. She introduced him to countless people high up in the food chain (as she called it), and never failed in her excitement to show him off.

Harry had been to Prague, Spain, and Sweden already. Each new place held countless wonders for him to experience, and endless "someones" for him to meet. Everyone knew who he was, and Harry felt bad that he would never remember all the people he had met. They were supposed to be going to France next, and Harry hoped the names didn't sound too foreign. Those were the hardest to remember.

They dined at expensive restaurants, went shopping for only the best the market had to offer, and avoided places not held to the Zabini standard. Anything Harry wanted, he received, but Harry made a point not to ask for too much. He felt it wasn't his place.

Blaise and Harry spent most of their free time together, though not always playing. Blaise liked to read, what little he could at 5 years old anyway. He seemed to want to learn as much as he could, so he'd even look through advanced books to gain what knowledge he could from the picture.

In April, Blaise and Harry attended Pansy Parkinson's birthday party. Harry had been looking forward to this. Blaise had gone on about his friends in great detail, and Harry couldn't wait to meet them. He liked Blaise, but he missed the days of playing in larger groups at the Ministry's daycare.

Had he not gotten used to the Zabini's lifestyle, Pansy's party would've shocked him. Her house was just as big as the Zabini's, but she had several house elves that seemed to wait on her hand and foot. The entire place was decorated inside and out with dancing purple streamers, ever-falling confetti, and singing balloons. A bubble machine was constantly running, rejoicing some wonderful aspect about Pansy whenever one popped. Her pile of presents had spilled off the dinning table and taken over much of the floor space, marking that room off limits.

Harry knew many of the other guests already, either from Blaise's description, or having met them while out with Mrs. Zabini. Not wanting to embarrass his new family, Harry pulled out every last bit of propriety he knew for this gathering of the elite.

"Hello, Mr. Nott, Theo. It's a pleasure to see you again. I hope you managed to work things out with your associate." Harry had met them previously, and recalled the trouble Mr. Nott had been in at the time.

Surprised, he reached down to shake Harry's hand, somewhat reluctantly it seemed. "Hello to you too, Mr. Potter. I'm surprised you remember that conversation! Things are better now, yes. Thank you for asking. If you'll excuse me." Harry assumed he was off to find the other adults. Most people wanted to talk to him, so he was stunned at how quickly Mr. Nott had fled.

They next ran into two boys who could only be Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle. Blaise wasn't friends with them, but he had described them. Harry greeted them, and they only sneered and walked away. He was beginning to feel unwelcome.

"Ignore them, Harry. Come on, might as well find the birthday girl." Blaise was right, Harry thought.

Pansy was easy to find. She was wearing hot pink dress robes, and telling anyone who would listen about all the amazing presents her parents had given her. She stopped abruptly when she saw Harry nearby. She ran over and flung her arms around him. "You're Harry Potter!" She exclaimed, pulling back from him slightly. "I can't believe your scar really looks like a lightning bolt! I thought the stories were just exaggerated. Can I touch it?"

She didn't wait for him to answer before she was tracing his scar with a finger. "Um, sure. Anything for the birthday girl, right?" Harry answered awkwardly.

This was apparently what she wanted to hear because her smile grew even bigger, and she hugged him again. "Oh I knew I'd like you, Harry! But I'm not really supposed to, so I'm going to be ignoring you for the rest of the party. I'm sorry! Don't take it personally, okay? Thank you for coming!" She said it all in a rush and suddenly ran off with a wave in their direction. They could hear her squealing about a celebrity being at _her_ birthday party!

Harry looked at Blaise and Theodore, confused. "What did she mean, 'she's not supposed to like me'?" he questioned.

"Just that. I'm not supposed to either, but I'm still supposed to hang out with- ow!" An elbow in the chest from Blaise cut Theodore off.

"Don't worry about it, Harry. It's just stupid stuff with some of the adults. Oh, there's Draco!" Unsatisfied with Blaise's explanation, Harry followed him to find out more.

Blaise was already talking to Draco before Harry could say anything. He decided to great the scrutinizing gaze of Mr. Malfoy instead. "You must be Mr. Malfoy. I've heard a lot about you, sir. It's a pleasure to finally make your acquaintance." He offered his hand, and Malfoy's eyebrow raised, surprised. He hadn't expected Harry to talk to him at all, let alone warmly.

Shaking Harry's hand he said, "The same to you Mr. Potter. Viola has told me quite a bit about you. I must say you exceed my expectations."

Harry smiled. "Thank you, sir. Is your wife here as well? I'd love to meet her."

"She's around here somewhere. I'm sure you'll run into her eventually, but the adults will be talking about rather boring things. You all should run off and have fun. Draco," Mr. Malfoy directed his attention to his son. "Come here for a moment."

The two blonds had a quick conversation, and then Mr. Malfoy walked off, sending Draco right back over. "I apologize for not introducing myself sooner. My name is Draco Malfoy, and I'd be delighted if you'd called me Draco." He offered his hand, much as Harry had just done to his father.

"Alright, Draco. I'm Harry Potter, but I prefer just Harry. Your father is really nice!" Draco smirked at Harry's opinion.

"Yes, he can be quite nice when it suits him. Shall we get something to eat? I'm starved."

xXxXxXx

In May, Arnold took a trip to Romania. On the second day of his trip, Mrs. Zabini claimed she had a business meeting that she couldn't bring the children to, and went off alone. The boys were alone with Knobby, for only an hour before she returned, more cheerful than Harry had ever seen her.

That night, an owl arrived. Mrs. Zabini read the contents slowly, and then tossed it into the fireplace. She retired to her room momentarily, and returned wearing all black. She knelt in front of the boys and took a hand from each in hers. "I'm so sorry to tell you this boys, but Arnold won't be returning from Romania. It seems that a portkey he was using malfunctioned and landed him in a Doxy nest. He tried to apparate to safety, but luck was not on his side. The area was surrounded by various magical plants that create a sort of natural anti-apparition field. He couldn't get to the antidote for Doxy venom in time."

"He's dead?" Harry clarified. Mrs. Zabini nodded her head. She said no more as she left the boys, having important matters to attend to.

Harry was horrified! How could something so crazy have happened? He looked over at Blaise, expecting the other boy to be in tears, but the boredom that his mother usually brought out in him, was there as always. Harry thought Blaise might be in shock. "Blaise? I'm so sorry about your dad." Harry wrapped the dark skinned boy in a hug. "You can cry. I won't tell anyone." Harry thought he was being comforting.

"He wasn't my dad. That was mom's third husband. I barely knew him." Blaise's tone was so matter of fact, that Harry let him go, amazed. How had he not known that Arnold wasn't Blaise's father. "I'll hardly know the next one either. Don't worry about it. I want to go back to our game." His tone was so matter-of-fact, Harry began to wonder if Mrs. Zabini's actions towards her male friends weren't quite as harmless as he had believed.

Arnold Zabini's death was in the Prophet the following morning, and after less than five months with them, Harry was swept out of the Zabini household forever.


	5. Curiosity Killed the Cat

People under the age of five shouldn't know what it is to hate, but Harry was beginning to know the feeling well. He hated Voldemort for killing his parents, and creating his fame. He hated people that came up to him randomly because of who he was. He hated Blonde Bun for acting like she cared when she truly did not. And most of all he hated the Ministry, for continually bringing his life to a stop and making him start over.

Being pulled away from the Zabinis had brought Harry understanding. He realized now that the Macmillans and Diggorys hadn't _sent_ him away, he'd been taken - against his will, and probably against theirs. At least, he assumed as much. If Mrs. Zabini's anger was anything to go by, she hadn't wanted to give Harry up in the slightest.

That morning Blonde Bun and some Ministry lackeys had arrived without warning to remove Harry from the Zabini residence. They believed he shouldn't be put through the tribulations of dealing with the loss of another father-figure. So with Arnold being dead, they felt the despair of the Zabini's house was an unfit environment for him.

"The loss of a father-figure? HA!" Viola had yelled. "Arnold wasn't around nearly enough for Harry to have grown any sort of attachment! Isn't that right Harry?" She didn't pause for him to answer. "On the other hand, you're pulling him away from my son and I, who _he has_ grown attached to. That's the loss of a mother _and_ a brother! And this isn't even the first time! You've pulled him out of several families already haven't you? Haven't they, Harry? How many more parents and siblings will you force him to lose before you're satisfied?"

Harry thought she could've gone on for a while if they had let her. Alas, one of the ministry men stunned her, and she abruptly fell to the ground. Blonde Bun grabbed Harry to pull him away, ignoring his pleas to stay. Mrs. Zabini had been right about Harry's relationship with Arnold. His death hadn't even brought Harry to tears, but this injustice did. It wasn't _fair_ that he was being taken away _again_.

He had spent the remainder of the morning "talking" to specialists about his feelings and how he was affected by Arnold's death. _They_ talked quite a bit; Harry said nothing.

Finally giving up, Blonde Bun escorted him to daycare. There, Harry found a silver lining in his horrible day: Cedric Diggory. The sight of his friend almost made Harry cry again. It had only been a few months since he had seen him, but that was a lifetime to a child.

As soon as Blonde Bun released him, Harry was running towards his friend. "Cedric!" he yelled, causing the boy to look up. His reaction was exactly what Harry had hoped for. A grin broke out on Cedric's face and he jumped up to greet Harry.

"Harry!" Cedric yelled, as he threw his arms around his lost brother. "What are you doing here?"

"Long story. It's so good to see you! I'm sorry for knocking into you and hurting your head! I wanted to apologize before, but they wouldn't let me see you!"

"It's okay, it wasn't your fault! I'm sorry I got you taken away! I didn't know they would do that!"

They continued the apologies and explanations, constantly trying to talk over each other. They had so much to catch up on, and no idea where to start. Cedric had told the Ministry officials exactly how his and Harry's injuries had occurred. He had described his father's delusions of a rivalry for them, and his unwavering insistence that Cedric strive for the best. Cedric blamed the aggressive environment for being the cause of the accident. Hearing this, the Ministry couldn't leave Harry in such a hostile home, and had pulled him out immediately.

Harry absolved Cedric of the blame, confessing that he had been too competitive, and that the accident _was_ his fault. He explained where he'd been since then, and how he ended up back here.

"I don't know where they'll put me next. I hope it's a Ministry worker so I can get to see you every day!" Harry confessed.

"Me too," Cedric agreed, but he knew that probably wouldn't happen. Making the most of what he was given, he promised this day would be the most fun they ever had, and then he made it happen. Despite Harry's underlying sorrow, Cedric had him laughing and forgetting his troubles in no time.

Susan was glad to see him as well. She joined the boys, eager to hear her friend's latest tale. Secretly, Susan wished her aunt had placed a bid for Harry. In her mind, they were two of a kind because of their tragic pasts, and she liked having someone to relate to. She loved her aunt, but sometimes she wanted more than just her for a family.

Meanwhile, the committee had gathered once again. After so many failures, they weren't sure what to do next. They had tried giving Harry culture with an old family, and found that old blood was not for the best. Adventures with a fun family had seemed a good fit, but was emotionally abusive behind the scenes. They had tried prestige to help the young man meet the many important faces of the wizarding world, but besides the death, the family had turned out to be using him to further their own image.

The committee threw away any remaining bids that resembled those they had tried. After that, they agreed upon a bid that offered something no other had: secrecy. The boy's life would be spent where no one else would be able to find him, be they friend or foe. He wouldn't be paraded around for the social benefit of his adoptive family, or bombarded in public for his fame. They had bid to swear unbreakable vows to prevent such things. It was a family that would be able to maintain strong protective wards, with enough property for the boy to roam so as to not feel like a prisoner. They could provide glamours on any outing to hide the boys identity, and even their own, should the situation call for it.

Surely, there were plenty of others who could provide much the same for the boy, but no one else had thought to bid it. The discretion they were offering was exactly what a famous little boy needed in order to grow up away from the chaos that was already surrounding his life.

The decision made, stacks of legal documents sprouted up for the family to sign. Terminology for their vows was carefully drafted, and then cast. Their house was made unplottable and unknown to all and its wards renewed.

Then, after what Harry thought was too short of a day with his friends, he was handed over to Xenophilius and Pandora Lovegood.

xXxXxXx

The Lovegoods were a peculiar family. Xenophilius had grown up somewhat of an outcast because of his eccentric beliefs. At the time of Harry's arrival, he was working as a freelance writer for various magazines and newspapers, mostly uncovering secrets and scandals in the ministry. His stories were often discarded by readers as being over exaggerated or as the babbling of a man who was a little touched in the head. Nevertheless, Xenophilius loved what he did, andwas planning to soon own his own publication and fill it with whatever he saw fit.

Pandora was more down-to-earth and considerably more reserved in her mannerisms and speech. She had always been a curious person, and loved to learn how things worked. Nearly straight out of Hogwarts, she had been recruited as an Unspeakable, or Specialized Research Analyst, as they were called officially. As such, she had to be careful in what she said and did outside of work, fearful of letting one of her secrets slip.

They had a daughter, Luna, who was less than a year old when Harry had been orphaned. Pandora thought is was perhaps her newly acquired maternal instincts that made her first mourn that night. While the rest of their world was celebrating, she couldn't help but focus on the little boy whose world had just been turned upside down. She couldn't stand the thought of him all alone (what if it had been Luna?), and vowed to find a way to help him.

When the bidding war began, it was easy to convince Xenophilius. He would do anything for the love of his life, but besides that, he deeply wanted more children. He had grown up an only child, which just served to separate him more from society and complete his lonely childhood. Never wanting his Luna to experience that, he was quick to accept Pandora's idea.

So, they offered safety and love. They offered companionship in the form of their young daughter. They offered a range of knowledge and beautiful scenery to grow up with. They offered, most importantly, to keep him a secret. Pandora's life was already full of them, what was one more? This small sacrifice was worth it.

xXxXxXx

Harry liked his new house as soon as he saw it. He had never seen a cylindrical building before and had a brief thought of turning it on its side and rolling it down the hill. It looked crooked though, so he wasn't sure if it would roll all that well.

He was excited to see the garden in the front yard, as he had learned from Blaise how to care for some plants. It looked like strictly a fruit and vegetable garden, and Harry couldn't discern any rhyme or reason to each plant's placement. The Lovegoods, didn't have them lined up in rows or alphabetized by fruit, but instead looked to have randomly decided that a crab apple tree should go _here_ and radishes would look nice _there._ Harry later learned that these were dirigible plums, and was surprised to have never heard of them.

The only door in the whole house was at the entrance. Each floor was one large room, with a winding staircase connecting them all. When he arrived, there wasn't a room for him, and he'd been momentarily sad. Perhaps they didn't want him after all? But Pandora (as she preferred to be called) was all too excited to explain that they were waiting for him to help them build it. Harry was fascinated by the undetectable extension charm she cast, creating a whole new floor for him just above Luna's. He couldn't wait to learn to do that! She then let him decorate it any way he wanted, with the whole family pitching him ideas.

What he'd seen of the other floors were some of the most colorful decorations he'd ever laid eyes on. The walls were lined with knick-knacks and things Harry couldn't even begin to name. Other people would call it clutter, but Harry thought it gave the house a very lived in feel. He'd never felt like a building had welcomed him inside before now.

It didn't take long for Harry to decide he liked the Lovegoods. They didn't expect anything from him, which was more than he could say for most people. He didn't have to worry about slipping up on his manners with them or try to be good at every little thing. His hair was allowed to fall sporadically in whichever direction it chose, even if it covered his scar. If he wanted to be left alone to just think, they kindly granted his wish and left him to his own devices. He could get used to this.

On Harry's 5th birthday, Luna used magic for the first time. The family was celebrating down by the stream that marked the bottom of their hill, and had lit a bonfire. Xeno (his preferred name) and Pandora took turns telling Harry exciting stories about things he'd never heard of before. After the story of one magical creature, a nargle, Luna had immediately wanted to see one. Xeno was unable to produce one for her on such short notice, so she decided to create her own. Luna grabbed Harry's hand and pulled him to the center of the stream. As she splashed around, several small stones levitated above Harry's and her head, sparkling as they flew through the air. She danced around beneath them, still holding onto Harry and forcing him to dance too. When she lost control the stones had nowhere to fall but straight down on them. Realizing the danger, Harry instantly apparated them back to the campfire.

If they had been slightly unsure about adoption before, Harry's reaction had instantly quelled their fears. He was a good addition to the family.

xXxXxXx

Harry and Luna grew up safely within the wards of the Lovegood's land, quickly developing a pattern in their actions. They spent their days exploring the stream and climbing trees. They used various plants and things they found to create silly little statues and artwork of whatever their imagination had cooked up. In the evenings, they were excited to sit around the fireplace, listening to more stories and learning about the world from their parents. Xeno always had fantastical tales of magic creatures to share with them, often encouraging them to draw the animals he was depicting. What better way to learn than by doing? Pandora taught them the more logical workings of the wizarding world.

Sometimes, Pandora liked to take her work home with her to maximize the time she spent with the children. She wasn't allowed to explain what she was working on, but there were no rules against letting her kids guess. It had become one of their favorite games. Pandora would be casting spells or doing research (using temporary warding spells to keep the children a safe distance away, of course) and Harry and Luna would shout their thoughts of what she was doing. More often than not, she would answer with a shake of her head or a small chuckle, saying "No, but that's an interesting idea! I'll have to look into that" when they came up with a truly inspired guess. The mind of a child was filled with wonders that adults could never comprehend.

Occasionally, they were able to narrow the possibilities down and eventually even guess right. Pandora couldn't confirm this though. Instead, she would help lead them along. If they started along the right track, she would question their thoughts ("Oh, you think I'm working on ways to harvest brains after death? What purpose would that serve?"), and if they were able to pinpoint her project, she would offer a smile and sometimes praise their efforts ("That's quite the mind you have coming up with something so creative as a way to preserve memories inside a brain whose body has died without previously extracting the memories for pensieve viewing!"). The children would grin like mad at each other when they knew they'd won. Pandora lived for that glee.

Some projects afforded them months to figure out what Pandora was working on, and others Pandora never brought home for more than a week. Those were more dangerous, or required help from her colleagues to continue. Sometimes, they would keep guessing on projects that had long since been finished or abandoned, and Pandora never stopped them. Curiosity in a child was a necessity for them to grow. These games they played helped to improve their critical thinking and expand their imagination of possibilities. Truly anything was possible in the wizarding world, and she wanted their minds to never be limited by the masses.

xXxXxXx

Harry knew his presence in their home was a highly guarded secret. At first, this had troubled him. Would he never get to see his friend's again? They had apologized for his forced solitude, but came up with a compromise. Until Harry could do it on his own, they would help him write to his friends whenever he wanted. This was an exciting prospect; he'd never written a letter before!

He maintained a regular correspondence with Cedric and Blaise. Harry never said where he was living or who with, enjoying the anonymity he received here. He did tell them about all the creatures he learned about though. Cedric would tell him about any new games he played in great detail, and Harry could feel the enthusiasm in his words. Blaise joked about his mother's inability to walk down a back alley without finding a friend every other step, and kept him up to date on the latest husbands.

He sent an occasional letter to Ernie, but they were generally short, just to keep in touch. They had been so young when they parted, Harry didn't even remember most of their time together. Nevertheless, Ernie had been his first brother, and he didn't want to lose that connection.

Once he felt confident in his writing skills, he even sent letters to some of the children he'd met only briefly. Pansy Parkinson had been utterly delighted to receive his letter, and had practically sent him a book in response. All of her letters were long, detailing daily activities that Harry didn't really care about. He always wrote her back anyway, though he felt his letters were sorely lacking in content by comparison.

Harry found writing Susan enjoyable too. She always had stories about what her aunt had seen in the line of duty. It fascinated Harry. Together they contemplated the pros and cons of various Ministry jobs, wondering if they'd end up working there eventually.

A letter from Draco Malfoy arrived along with Blaise's one day, asking to continue the friendship they had started. Since Pansy's party, Harry had learned why she wasn't allowed to be his friend and why some of the adults were so cold towards him. They held allegiance to the murderer who stole Harry's childhood.

He'd been stunned at this revelation. How can anyone have supported that monster? After careful consideration, he decided it didn't really matter. He wouldn't hold the sins of the older generation against their offspring. Even after Harry had worked out that Lucius had probably instructed Draco to get close to him, he still wanted to be his friend. Why would it matter how they became friends in the first place after the bond was already formed?

Between his friends and his family, Harry finally found a lasting happiness.

xXxXxXx

After three years with the Lovegoods, Harry finally breathed a sigh of relief. This was the longest he had ever stayed with a single family, and he took that as a good sign.

"Finally settling in, Harry?" Luna asked. She had just come up the stairs into his room and had heard his sigh. "I could've told you to accept your fate with us much sooner if you'd spoken up."

Luna was always doing that, and Harry had yet to figure out her trick. He had never expressed his fear about being taken away from the Lovegoods, and he hadn't even realized until today that he had been holding himself back from truly settling in here.

Yet Luna _knew._ One little sigh from him, and she instantly knew what was on his mind. She could read him better than he ever hoped to read her. And she always seemed to appear when he needed someone to talk to. Luna was the best listener he had ever met.

"I began to fear that we would never make you feel at home. I'm so glad that you do now."

Harry smiled at her. "I'm sorry, Luna. I didn't realize what I was doing until today. I'll do better now, promise."

"I know, Harry. I think I'll go tell dad that you won't need to be tested for an aquavirius maggot after all. He's been wanting to for a while, but mum keeps talking him down." Harry laughed as Luna skipped back down the stairs.

When she was out of sight, a frown fell onto his face. He envied Luna's casual use of "mum" and "dad". He'd never once in his memory done that, though he knew he had as an infant. Harry didn't count those occasions. In every family he had stayed with he referred to the parents by their given name or a more formal Mr. and Mrs. He had never minded, really. At the time, anything else would've seemed strange.

It was a thought he'd turned over in his head many times in the last year or so. He wanted to call Pandora and Xeno "mum and dad", not least because they were the best parents he could remember. But he couldn't bring himself to do it. More than once he had caught himself right before it slipped out, not quite ready to take that plunge. What if they weren't okay with it? They were the ones who decided what Harry should call them when they adopted him, and probably wouldn't appreciate him deviating from their instructions.

Still, Harry thought he really knew these parents now, and he couldn't imagine they would mind the title change. One day he'd played a scene out in his head of letting "mum" slip out in conversation. He pictured all conversation coming to a halt and all eyes turning to him. The world went eerily silent in anticipation of her reaction. Then, just when Harry could no longer bear the suspense, Pandora would smile at him, and tears would begin to fall from her eyes. Happy tears, of course. She'd open her arms and he'd run into her embrace. His mother's embrace.

It was a silly dream, he knew.

He'd considered just coming out and asking them for permission, but nothing sounded quite right.

"Excuse me, Mrs. Lovegood, err, um, Pandora. May I call you mum?"

"Sorry to bother you, sir, but I was wondering if you would mind terribly if I called you dad?"

It felt too formal no mater how he worded his inquiry, so he forfeited the idea.

Luna had been there for this trouble as well. "They consider you a son you know. I'm sure they'd be delighted to know you consider them your parents, instead of just your guardians. You should tell them."

When Harry could find no way to respond, Luna held his hand. "I consider you a brother and my absolute best friend. Though it's not really a fair description to you, since you're my only friend."

"Thanks, Luna. I know that you already know I feel the same." Harry chuckled at Luna's nod of confirmation. "And it's my fault you don't have more friends. If it weren't for all the secrecy I'm sure you'd have loads! I'll introduce you to my friends one day, and I'm sure you'll get on great!"

Luna knew this was a lie even if Harry couldn't see it. He told her everything about his friends, and she knew she wouldn't have much in common with them. Luna indulged Harry in his fantasy, unable to ruin anything that brought him happiness.

At the very least she thought she'd brought Harry some peace of mind today. Calming Harry down was something Luna strove to be an expert at. He had done so much for her just by being in the family, it was the least she could do.

xXxXxXx

When Luna and Harry were both 9, everything changed.

As her children aged, their guesses grew more intelligent, and Pandora had to bring less and less of her work home. There were some things she didn't want them to guess, and horrors in the world that they shouldn't have to be exposed to at such a young age.

In early May, the three of them were in the yard as she worked on a potion. The two had learned to question individual pieces of her projects to help them narrow down its purpose. There were no rules against that. With potions, they would try to identify each ingredient she added, and would consult each other on specific properties. Pandora couldn't have been more proud of them.

"Oh! Is that bubotuber pus?" Luna asked as her mother carefully measured some into a steaming cauldron.

"Very good, Luna!"

"So then this potion must have some sort of healing purpose," Harry deduced.

"Not necessarily, Harry," Luna answered. This was the part Pandora loved. They would use their combined knowledge to talk out all the possibilities they could think up, bouncing their ideas off each other. "Usually, it _is_ used in healing potions, but bubotuber pus has other uses too. I've read that when undiluted, it can cause quite a nasty burn. Perhaps she's working on a weaponized potion?"

"But it's not undiluted now that she's added it to the cauldron, right?"

"You do have a point there. So healing then. Well that opens up a huge range of possibilities. There are countless maladies out there."

"Well, she added some kind of fang earlier, and a bat wing! That has to narrow it down somewhat. I know the bat wing is bad for the eyes, so we can rule that out at least."

Pandora watched the exchange with rapt attention. They were on the right track, but they had already made a mistake in their reasoning. Bubotuber pus had to be diluted in specific ways, and she hadn't done so yet. In its current state, it was still quite volatile. It needed to stay that way for as long as possible in her current project.

She was casting spells on her half completed potion now. Some were diagnostic, others were helping prod different ingredient to merge more quickly. This was still an experimental potion, and there was no perfect way to brew it.

She was still watching Luna's and Harry's discussion when she made her mistake. After adding a drop of acromantula venom she cast a little spell to help it dissolve the bat wing. Had she been paying attention, she might've remembered that the bubotuber pus was still undiluted, and currently coating everything. Touching it to acromantula venom could produce disastrous results, not to mention that adding magic to the mix would surely ruin what she was trying to accomplish.

With a twirl of her wand, a jet of purple light entered the cauldron, and the reaction was instantaneous. The potion turned violent, bubbling and hissing its displeasure. Luna and Harry barely had time to look up before the mixture began spitting out its contents in all directions. Some hit the table and the ground, causing small explosions on impact. But most, headed straight for the source of the magic that had caused the turmoil.

Several large spatters hit Pandora all at once, exploding simultaneously. She hit the ground before her kids could react. They tried running to her, wanting to help, but her wards prevented them getting too close. Luna was crying and yelling for her mum to drop the wards so she could help. Harry left at a run back for the house. Hearing the commotion, Xeno met Harry before he'd reached the second floor, and followed him back outside.

Pandora's wounds looked even worse than Harry originally thought. Her skin was covered in dozens of holes, all oozing blood. Blisters surround many of the little indents, and as Harry looked on some were continuing to grow and pop. Her clothes were shredded in places, and what remained was soaked in blood and sweat. The specks of white he saw in places Harry was sure were bones.

"Get her back, Harry," Xeno commanded.

Luna had dropped to her knees in Harry's absence and was continually banging and scraping against an invisible wall to no avail. Luna continued to struggle towards her mum as Harry leaned down to grab her around the waist to pull her backwards. She was light, but her thrashing made it difficult to move her. Harry stumbled backwards in his efforts, falling to the ground and bringing her awkwardly into his lap. She started hitting at his arms when he refused to let her go, and he just held her tighter to his chest. Her father had just began dismantling the wards when his wife stopped his efforts.

"Don't, Xen. Open these wards and you'll all be in danger." The potion was still sputtering, but not as severely. "I don't know what else it might do, so you need to owl the cleanup crew to take care of this." She was in pain, and her voice showed it. Her words were muted, breath gasping.

"No, mum we're getting you to Saint Mungo's right now. Dad take it down!" Luna was hysterical, something her father never expected to see of his daughter. She _always_ remained calm and level-headed. Her reaction frightened him as much as the sight before him.

"Luna, love, it's alright." Pandora's words were coming out slow. "I'm so sorry for doing this. I should've been paying more attention."

"Dad, what are you waiting for!" Luna couldn't understand why her father was just standing there.

It was a terrible choice Xenophilius Lovegood was being forced to make. Leaving the wards in place would certainly mean the death of his wife, but if he lowered the wards to try and save her, he could be endangering his children, and might not even be able to save Pandora at all. The risk was too great to chance.

Xeno sunk down to his knees, eyes never leaving his wife. She was smiling at him, proud that he was putting the children first.

"I love you Xen. Forgive me for leaving you like this?"

Tears streaming down his face, all he could do was nod.

Turning her gaze to the children, she forced herself to continue. She knew she didn't have long. "Harry, I've always loved you as my own and I've never once regretted taking you in. I hope you know that. I'm sorry that you're losing another mother. No one should have to endure that loss as much as you have."

There was so much Harry wanted to say to her. Maybe he could make a joke about having practice with this loss to ease her suffering? He also wanted to beg her not to leave him. To _please_ pull through this because he didn't know if he could handle losing her. Harry considered asking her to look for his birth mother when she reached the other side. Pandora could fill Lily in about his life to this point, and maybe they would be friends. He thought they could be. At a loss of how to express any of that, or the many other thoughts running through his head, he kept his response simple. "I do know. I love you too, mum." That's what mattered.

Pandora's smile in response was what finally broke Harry down to tears. He'd been trying to remain strong for Luna, but his mum's acceptance, on top of his looming loss, was more than he could handle. As his body shook, Harry buried his face into Luna's shoulder preventing his sobs from escaping.

Finally, just Luna was left. "Luna." Pandora's voice was barely louder than a whisper, weakening every minute. "I'll always be watching over you, don't forget that. If you and Harry stick together, there's nothing you can't accomplish. Don't be mad at your dad, for this, Luna. Be mad at me, and I hope you'll forgive me for it soon. I love you."

She had stopped thrashing while her mother spoke, arms falling limp on either side of her as she starting shaking like Harry. He tried to hold her even closer, reassuring them both that they weren't alone in this. Inside, Luna felt like her whole existence was breaking into pieces, but she understood why it had to be this way and she was resigned to it. "I love you, mum. I'll see you again."

It was only moments before Pandora stopped breathing.


	6. A Spoonful of Sugar

Harry was furious. His magic was lashing out at everyone around him, destroying the office they occupied in the process. More than one attempt to subdue him had failed, and each time it just fueled his anger.

"PEOPLE DIE!" His voice broke, and he took a deep breath to calm himself. He had been yelling for what felt like hours. The Ministry kept throwing excuses at him for his removal from the Lovegoods, and Harry was ready to bring the building down on them if it meant he'd be free to return home.

Rage was getting him nowhere so he decided to try reasoning with them with a more neutral tone. "Bad things happen. All the time. Every day. To every single witch, wizard, and muggle alike. Pulling me away from a bad situation doesn't take back what's happened. You can't _undo_ Mrs. Lovegood's death! Do you think that removing me from Mr. Lovegood's care will make me _forget_ what I lost? Do you think you can cut me off from the people I love and that I'll just _stop_ being upset if I don't have a reminder in front of me?"

When reasoning failed to get him anywhere, Harry resorted to pleading.

" _I_ _need to be there, with them!_ Now, more than ever. Please, _pl_ _ease_ let me go back _."_ Harry was crying now, and it took all of his control to prevent his sobs from escaping. If he broke down completely he would lose. "I'll do anything! Just tell me what you want from me! I'm Harry fricken Potter! Do you know what people do, how they react, when they find that out? People I've never met spill their secrets to me. I can get any information you want from probably anyone! Who do you need dirt on? How about my support? I read about some laws the ministry in trying push into place. I could back them. Throw my name on a headline endorsing whatever you want, and the public will fall all over themselves to be part of it.I can opens doors for you! _Please!_ Why won't you even consider it?"

He was sobbing now. No matter how hard he tried he couldn't bring his body back under control. There was more he had to say, to offer, but he couldn't get the words out. His whole body was shaking and he wrapped his arms around himself, suddenly desperate for warmth.

Vaguely he realized the adults in the room were trying to calm him down. He didn't need to hear them to know they were spouting bullshit reassurances that everything would be okay and how about he just come with them or do some other stupid thing that they suggested. He didn't care to hear any of it.

When Blonde Bun tried to approach him, his rage filtered back in momentarily. "DON'T TOUCH ME!" His demand was accented by a burst of magic, forcing everything in its path to collide with the walls.

In his corner of the room, Harry backed up to the wall and slid down. He curled into himself, still shaking. His magic randomly flared up, attacking anyone stupid enough to come close. Harry knew he was throwing a tantrum, and he wondered what his mum would think of him. He wasn't even sure which mum he meant. It wasn't like either of them could voice their opinions. That thought didn't help matters.

Harry remained in his corner, fighting an internal battle between whether he should be more sad or mad right now, when he eventually wore himself out and fell asleep.

xXxXxX

When Harry came to he knew exactly where he was. A thin mattress in a small, overly cheerful room was hard to mistake. The walls were painted a baby blue with puffy white clouds slowly floating across them. Various birds flew around as well, darting behind the clouds momentarily, and happily flying back into view. A shining sun took up a large portion of the ceiling. There were no real windows or other decorations in site, and nothing to put his mind at ease. This could only be St. Mungo's. He was at least happy that no one else was here to keep him company. If he couldn't be with his family, solitude was his next choice.

Much too little time had passed for Harry's liking when a healer came to check on him. "Well look who's finally awake! It's been a day and a half since they brought you here. Feeling better?"

Harry looked at her like she was stupid. "Unless you're about to tell me that I _can_ go home to the Lovegood's then no, I'm definitely not feeling better." He crossed his arms over his chest and continued to stare at her.

"I'm sorry Harry, I have nothing to do with that. I meant physically, do you feel alright? You were suffering magical exhaustion when you arrived, which is quite a rare occurrence in children. Usually they can't control their magic for long enough to use any significant amount. Though from what I heard you weren't exactly controlling yours either."

Harry's scowl had fallen as she'd spoken. Magical exhaustion was a serious matter. He always assumed that was something you'd be able to feel yourself approaching, but apparently rage could mask the feeling. He didn't know how to answer her question, now staring at his hands in his lap.

She waited a moment before continuing. "I'm going to take that as a yes. You should be good as new by now, but if you start to feel dizzy or tired today you need to come back here straight away, alright?"

Harry nodded his head but he had no intention of returning.

"Good. Drink this, now." The healer handed him a small potion vial and he downed it. Looking at her inquiringly as he did so. "That was Draught of Peace. It should keep you from exploding again today! Alright now, off you get."

She began to walk out, leaving Harry lost in what he was supposed to do. "Wait! Where am I supposed to go?"

She turned back, looking like she was holding back a laugh. "That's no business of mine, is it? Some Ministry workers are supposed to be here soon to pick you up, so you could wait if you'd like." She paused, a smile creeping to her face. "But if you don't want to wait, you could go wherever you wanted, couldn't you? All I know is that you were safely in your room when I left you." She turned again to leave. "Bye, Harry."

The door clicked shut behind her and Harry jumped out of bed. He couldn't believe she was letting him go! He rushed over to the door and eased it open, checking for any guards or onlookers she might have failed to mention. Seeing the coast was clear, Harry ensured his scar was covered by his hair and strolled out of the room.

Following the signs, he casually made his way to the ground floor. More than once he had noticed his pace starting to increase, and he had to force himself to slow down. _Act natural_ , he thought over and over. If he rushed, everyone he passed would be staring at him and he wouldn't get anywhere.

Finally at his destination, Harry headed straight for a nearby fireplace. He seized some floo powder out of the bag hanging on the wall and stepped quickly into the hearth. He threw it down, announcing the Lovegood's residence.

xXxXxXx

When Pandora Lovegood died, so did the wards and protections surrounding her house. Every vow she had made and document she had signed was instantly voided, releasing all concerned parties from their respective agreements. Harry knew this, and knew he'd be able to floo directly into the Lovegood living room unhindered.

"Luna! Dad!" Harry yelled, no longer fearing Xeno's reaction. He didn't know if he'd ever get another chance.

"Out here, Harry. We've been waiting for you," Luna answered, appearing in the front doorway. She was wearing an entirely white dress and matching white shoes. Harry was only confused a moment, before realizing that Pandora wouldn't want them to wear black in mourning. White fit her much better. Luna's hand was raised towards him, beckoning him to join her. He didn't hesitate to grab her hand and follow her into the garden. "You seem tired, Harry," she mentioned as they walked. Harry was glad she hadn't questioned why.

They came to a stop by a freshly covered grave, their father kneeling in front of it, ruining his white outfit. Harry dropped down next to him, pulling Luna down right alongside them. He stared at the upturned dirt, and tears slowly trailed down his face.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here to send you off, mom. I wanted to be. I should've tried harder. You did so much for me, you were always there, and I couldn't even be here for this. I should've been here for your daughter and husband and I've failed you!" Harry throat felt like it was closing up and he couldn't say more just then.

Xeno threw an arm around Harry's shoulder and pulled him close. "You've never failed anything, Harry, including us. It wasn't your fault. She knows you would've been here were you able. But you're here now. Don't waste what precious time you have with her feeling sorry for us or yourself." Harry looked at his dad, and saw the tears running silently down his face as well. He never looked away from his wife's grave.

"I love you, mum. I hope you know that. I don't know when I'll be able to come see you again, but I'll come back as soon as I can." He still held Luna's hand in his, and used it to tug her closer. He broke free of his father's grasp an enveloped Luna in a hug. "I'll watch over Luna as best I can. Especially once we're at Hogwarts. She won't be alone, I promise." His pledge had brought tears to Luna's eyes too.

Their father joined them in a group hug and they remained there until the Ministry came. Blonde Bun was at the forefront of a rather intimidating group of wizards, all marching straight toward them on the ground.

When they were only feet away, Blonde Bun spoke for the group. "That was reckless, Harry. You can't just disappear and not tell anyone where you're going! Something horrible could've happened to you, and we wouldn't be able to protect you! It's time for you to come with me. Right now, Harry!"

Harry had considered interrupting her, but withheld until she was finished. He thought maybe it was the Draught of Peace that restrained him. He stood up to face her, tears long since dried up.

"I didn't know it was considered reckless to want to say goodbye to my family. It's something you haven't let me do with any of the others, so I thought I'd take it upon myself to make sure I got to this time. Sorry my mourning has _inconvenienced_ you." His voice was cold and he didn't sound the least bit sorry.

Turning to Luna, who had stood up behind him, he hugged her again. "I love you, Luna. We'll meet again soon."

"Of course we will, Harry. I love you too," She answered him, returning his embrace.

When Harry released her, he knelt back down by his father. Xenohpilius still hadn't looked at anything but the grave. Harry hugged him from the side as best he could, saying "I love you, dad. I wish I could stay."

Finally facing him, Xenophilius replied, "You'll always be welcome here, son." Done speaking, he returned his gaze to the dirt.

Standing up, Harry made his way to Blonde Bun. "Was that so hard?" he asked her, and continued walking past. Harry didn't look back on the life he was losing as he walked away, afraid of showing them any more weakness.

xXxXxX

Mary Gould looked tired when Harry met her, a baby held on her hip. Her brown hair wasn't as straight as Harry suspected it was supposed to be, all frizzy, full of knots, and hanging at wrong angles around her face. The little girl she was holding was trying to grab some as he glanced over them both. There were deep circles under her brown eyes indicating she'd been tired for quite some time. When she welcomed Harry into her home though, her smile was genuine, eyes lighting up in wonder.

Harry soon met the reason for her weariness in the form of three children. The oldest, Penelope, was 5, and had never-ending questions for Harry. Most of them he couldn't answer, but he did when he could, even if they were rude or hurt his feelings. She didn't know better. The middle child, Henry, was 3. His sole purpose for waking up every morning (or so it seemed to Harry) was to coax Harry into playing some game or other with him. Harry obliged occasionally, when he wasn't already being bombarded by Penelope. When he could, he'd invite her to play with them, and then say he had to run to the bathroom, leaving them playing together and giving him some time alone.

But solitude was hard to come by in this house. When he was away from Penelope and Henry, Ellie would start crying. After a few days of this, Harry was sure she could tell exactly when Harry was free, even if she was on the other side of the house. When Harry showed up, she would stop crying, lifting her arms up towards him. Other than being held, she didn't have any expectations of him, and that made her Harry's favorite of the children. With less than a year under her belt, she couldn't prattle on or require his undivided attention. Most importantly, she couldn't judge him. When he needed someone to talk to, he used Ellie. If he was sad or angry or wanted to relive some happy memories, he could do so in front of her without embarrassment.

Mary was a widow. Her husband died in some freak Ministry accident that she didn't want to tell Harry about. She didn't work, herself. The Ministry paid for whatever she needed in compensation for their mistake which caused Mr. Gould's death.

It was only a few days into his newest life that Harry realized Mrs. Gould lived off of Pepper-Up Potion. His first morning there, he saw here downing a dose as soon as she'd awoken. She explained she hadn't slept well, and Harry thought nothing of it. Everyone needed a Pepper-Up now and then. Shortly after lunch he saw her taking another, and felt bad for how she must be feeling.

The next day, Harry was surprised to see her do it again. "It's dangerous to take so much Pepper-Up so close together Mrs. Gould," he warned her.

"Oh not to worry, Harry. I just need something to help me get going in the morning! It's not even a full dose. And I do wish you would call me Mary," she sighed the last bit.

Harry apologized, not for the first time, for preferring to not use her first name. He wasn't comfortable doing so, as it induced a familiarity he wanted to avoid. Harry hoped that by keeping his current guardian at a distance, his inevitable removal from her care wouldn't hurt as much as his other families.

Regardless of what she said, Harry decided to watch Mrs. Gould closer and caught her taking Pepper-Up twice more before lunch. He realized only a little smoke would steam from her ears each time, and he wondered how often you had to take it to become practically immune to that side effect. In a normal person, their ears would be steaming for hours. Each time she found him watching. She wrote off his worries, always excusing her actions and blaming a low dose for the lack of steam.

After they ate, Harry stopped her from taking her next dose. "Why don't you go take a nap instead, Mrs. Gould? Your kids seem to love me, so I'll keep them occupied for a few hours while you rest."

She was reluctant to do so, but didn't have an excuse ready this time. "Alright Harry, thank you."

Harry made the same offer on each of the next two days, and she had no choice but to take him up on it. She continued to take the potion though, now trying to hide it from Harry. He noticed, and realized she was an addict.

On his fifth day with the Goulds, Mary walked in on Harry talking to Ellie. "Sorry Harry, it's time to feed her. You can stay if you'd like." Before then, Harry hadn't realized she was breastfeeding Ellie.

"Mrs. Gould..." Harry hesitated, not sure how to ask his question. "Should you be doing that? I mean, with all that Pepper-Up in your system…that's probably why she doesn't sleep through the night."

"Nonsense, Harry. I haven't had to take any since you've been giving me breaks!" That was a complete lie, and it worried Harry. "Now, have I told you yet what I bid for you?" That succeeded in distracting him. He was always curious what the Ministry would deem a winning bid for him. He urged her to continue.

"I bid memories!" At Harry's confused look, she continued. "I knew your parents, Harry. I was in Gryffindor with them, just the year above. Your mother and I were great friends, and your father made sure everyone knew him. Of course, I was Mary Macdonald back then." Mrs. Gould chuckled, remembering the attention demanded by James Potter.

Harry was shocked! He'd never met anyone who really knew his parents, and he was now living with their friend! After the Lovegoods, Harry thought this might've been the best bid yet!

"You know, Harry, you're the spitting image of James. Except for your eyes; you have your mother's eyes."

Harry touched his face, wishing there was a mirror in the nursery where they sat. "I didn't know. Surprising that no one's mentioned it."

That day, Harry learned more about his mother's family than he ever thought he would. His muggle grandparents had died in a tragic car crash when Lily Evans was only 16. She missed a week of school because of it, but when she returned, she refused to even acknowledge that anything had happened. "Your mother had a stubborn streak. If she set her mind to something, there was no changing it. And she set her mind to concentrate on her studies and to ignore her tragedy."

She had a sister, Petunia, who Lily loved very much. "She told me once that Petunia hated her. Ever since Lily went off to Hogwarts, Petunia didn't want anything to do with her. I told your mom Petunia was just jealous, and that she'd come back around eventually. I don't think she ever did, but Lily never stopped loving her. I believe she got married and had a son, but Lily didn't tell me much about them. Sorry, Harry."

"No, that's okay!" Harry jumped at an opening to speak. He had so many questions! "I didn't even know I had an aunt!"

Mrs. Gould stopped her trip down memory lane there for the day, promising to tell him more later. She kept her promise. Everyday when she fed Ellie, Harry kept her company, listening to whatever stories she had. Most of them were about his mother. He learned that she was the best witch of her age! She had been prefect and then head girl, and the younger girls looked up to her. She was incredibly kind, and always made time to help others with their studies if needed. Lily was the only one who stood up to the Marauders, annoyed with their antics.

"Your mother _hated_ your father for years! Honestly!" She admitted one day to Harry's surprise.

From there, he learned about the Marauders, this insane group his father had created. They played pranks on everybody, no one was off limits, including teachers! James was intelligent, and didn't have to try hard in classes. Sirius Black was as well, and Remus Lupin was very studious. They often had to help their fourth member, Peter Pettigrew, keep up. They spent more time in detention in one year than most people did in their entire Hogwarts career.

"And they knew how to have a good time! They were always sneaking food and drink up to the common room to celebrate any occasion they could think of!" James always had a joke to crack to cheer people up, and despite what Lily thought of him, actually did care about others.

"I'm not sure what finally changed Lily's mind, but in seventh year they started dating."

Mrs. Gould had pictures too. Pictures of a young Mary and Lily laughing together on a bed, the Marauders launching snowballs at anyone who stepped outside the castle one winter, and various other classmates popped up in some pictures. One showed Lily with a lanky boy Mary had yet to mention. He was staring at Lily, affection in his eyes, while she was waving her wand, causing quills and ink jars to dance around the table. She was smiling at her handiwork, and oblivious to the boy's attention.

"That's Severus Snape," she said when she found him looking at it. "He grew up just down the road from your mother, and they came to Hogwarts the best of friends. But he was sorted into Slytherin, and fell in with the wrong sort. They were close until fifth year when...well that doesn't matter really. They fell apart, though he tried to rekindle their friendship plenty of times. Most of us could see that he loved her, but Lily never took notice. He teaches potions at Hogwarts now."

Apparently, several boys loved Lily, but she didn't have eyes for any of them. "She went on an occasional date to Hogsmead, but never more than that. She preferred to focus on her studies. I don't think she ever knew just how popular she was. There were plenty of other beautiful girls, of course, but your mother was spirited, and it set her apart."

James had been a ladies man, always willing to show a girl a good time. "But he wasn't a heart-breaker like you might expect. Lily always assumed he was. He was very up-front about not wanting a relationship. His heart belonged to another, and he was just biding his time until he held her heart as well."

Hearing her stories and learning about their lives, depressed Harry. He'd always thought it was unfair to him that he was growing up without his real parents, but really, it was unfair to _them_ more than anything. James and Lily Potter were good people, and they didn't deserve to die. They didn't deserve to be forced to put their life on pause to go into hiding, only to be betrayed by their best friend. Harry was ashamed he'd always thought more about his loss than theirs.

xXxXxXx

Harry had been living with the Macdonalss a grand total of twelve days, when Mary woke him up early. "Harry, I'm so sorry to tell you this, but you can't stay here any longer." Harry just stared at her. Maybe this was a dream?

"I don't understand. Have I done something wrong?" He couldn't think of anything. He'd even stopped mentioning the ill effects of Pepper-Up.

"No, Harry, not at all! It's just that, I put in a bid for you seven and a half years ago! I didn't have any children of my own yet, and I had a husband beside me. Now I have three very young children and no other adult around and it's just a lot on my plate. And you've been very helpful Harry, but I just think it would be better for my family, if it was a little smaller. Better for you too, of course! I can't give you everything you deserve like other families can. Do you understand, Harry?" She looked genuinely upset at having to let him go, so Harry decided to make her feel better.

"I understand, Mrs. Gould. And it's alright, no big deal. It was wonderful meeting you all, and I can't thank you enough for the memories. I'll just get my stuff together and say bye to your kids then."

Leaving Mrs. Gould behind was easy as he had hoped. His lack of attachment had gone to plan, though staying away from her kids had proved impossible. Still, he hadn't been with them very long, and Harry was sure his absence would hurt them more than himself. They might've annoyed him at times, but he felt bad for causing them pain. He was grateful to at least be allowed a farewell from this family.

Penelope and Henry cried when Harry told them he was leaving. "Oh, don't cry! I'll see you again some day, I'm sure of it. We'll play together in the future." He gave them both a hug, and then their mother had to pull them away.

He picked up Ellie last. "I'll miss you most of all," he whispered to her. "Thank you for being such a good listener. Be good for your mum." He kissed her forehead and placed her back into her crib.

As the sun was coming up, Harry flooed to the Ministry.


	7. The Magic Number

Well, I had been posting a chapter every week, but the holidays kind of threw me off track. Sorry this one took so long! I hope you all enjoy!

~Snow

(As a side note, this chapter has been slightly altered since it was first posted. Not enough to warrant a re-read, so don't worry about going back through! I just had to fix a grievous error regarding Cedric that I had somehow overlooked. Thank you to guest user **Reader AZ** for pointing out my mistake. You're awesome.)

xXxXxXx

Harry found his way to the Ministry's daycare easily. It was much earlier than most employees had to work so he didn't run into anyone. There was only one other kid when Harry arrived, and one care giver. She looked at him in surprise and he handed her a note Mrs. Gould had given him. She looked at him with pity that Harry didn't want. He went to sit by one of the fake windows and stared out it.

They alerted Blonde Bun quicker than Harry thought they would. Harry decided she must've already been on her way to work for her to arrive so quickly. She approached him, perfect bun on her head, as always, and Harry wondered what she would do if he _accidentally_ unraveled it. The thought made him smile.

It surprised her, taking the smile to be a pleasant greeting from him. She'd come to expect scowls and displeasure. "Good morning, Harry. I'm sorry to see you again so soon. It's always a shame when a family just doesn't work out. Well as soon as everyone in the committee arrives, they'll set to work finding you a new home. I have a good feeling about this one Harry. After all, seven is a magical number."

She left him to his thoughts after that. Harry knew how many families he'd had over the years, but he'd never thought of them collectively like that. The Potters, were the first, of course. They were the only family he had no memory of, and yet, they arguably mattered the most. He'd since lived with the Macmillans, Diggorys, Zabinis, Lovegoods, and the Goulds. His next home would in fact be his seventh. Harry hoped it would also be his last, but he wasn't going to hold his breathe.

Several other children filtered in, but Cedric never showed up, much to Harry's disappointment. He hadn't really expected him too since it was generally only younger kids that were dropped off here. He decided to spend his time writing to his friends as it had been several weeks since he'd been able to. Luna and his dad were the most important and longest letters he wrote. He told them all about his current situation and asked how they were doing. He told them to feel free to write whenever they wanted, and he would get back to them as soon as he could. He couldn't promise to do so quickly, not yet knowing his newest placement.

Cedric's letter was full of questions. _What new, exciting things h_ _ave you_ _been up to?_ _Are you_ _happy_ _to_ _return to_ _Hogwarts in a few months?_ _Sad to leave your parents_ _? D_ _o you_ _already have_ _everything you need_ _?_

With Blaise, he shared some of the memories he'd been told. _Guess what? I recently found out my mother's best friend in school was in Slytherin! How cool is that? She actually hated my dad for years before they got together, mostly because he picked on Slytherins._

Harry assumed that Susan was with her friend, Hannah Abbott. The two had been spending a lot of time together lately according to Susan, so Harry's letter to her was brief and teasing. _I see how it is. No time for your old friend anymore, huh? I'm beginning to think this Han_ _n_ _ah is more than just a friend!_

To Draco, he continued their joke competition. They had been taking turns coming up with different jokes and comparing cleverness. _Did you hear about the witch who won the lottery? She went completely knuts!_ Draco's jokes were usually mean, but they still gave Harry a chuckle. His latest had been: _What do you call a Hufflepuff with two brain cells? Gifted!_

Pansy was always bursting to tell him the latest gossip, often about people he'd never met or even heard of. When he could, he returned in kind. _Well, famous Harry Potter is moving to his SEVENTH home now. Probably later today. I also hear he practically threw a tantrum before his sixth, but you didn't hear it from me!_ He enjoyed referring to himself as if he was anybody else, and Pansy seemed to get a giggle out of it.

xXxXxXx

After lunch, Blonde Bun returned with a cheerful looking man. His brown hair was short and tidy, his face clean shaven, and his smile never once left his face. Harry smiled politely in return.

"Harry, this is Barnaby Bell," Blonde Bun introduced.

Mr. Bell stuck his hand out and Harry shook it. "It's very exciting to meet you Mr. Potter!" he said, and Harry grimaced. The only people who called him by his last name were strangers on the street wanting his autograph or his blessing or whatever. "After all these years we never thought we'd win the bid!" He was very enthusiastic, shaking Harry's hand the whole time he spoke.

It took some effort for Harry to finally pull away. "Um, just Harry, please, Mister Bell."

"Oh, of course, of course, Harry! I got a bit carried away, it seems! And please, feel free to call me Barnaby! Mister Bell is so formal, and you're family now!"

He was so excited, Harry felt bad turning down his offer. "No, thank you, sir. I'd feel better using your last name. I hope that won't be an issue." Harry was trying to remain formal, as always with people he didn't know.

"Sure, sure, no problem, Harry!" Mr. Bell agreed easily. "Don't want you to do anything you're uncomfortable with. Well, come on then! Time to meet the rest of the family!"

Harry turned to Blonde Bun before they left. He had debated all morning on whether to rat Mrs. Gould out for her potion abuse. On one hand, it wasn't good for her, or her children. On the other hand, if Harry told someone and the Ministry took Mrs. Gould's children away from her, they might end up in the same situation as him. Bouncing from house to house was no way to grow up, and he wouldn't wish it on anyone. It was Ellie's sweet face that decided him. That little girl didn't deserve what her mother was doing to her.

Harry spoke firmly, wanting to ensure he was taken seriously. "I don't know if this is something for _you_ to look into or if you need to pass the information to the appropriate people, but I think Mrs. Gould needs some looking in to. She's addicted to Pepper-Up potion. I'm no genius but I'm pretty sure that's not a good thing in itself, and on top of that, she's still breastfeeding." He turned away from her to leave, unsurprised by the shock on her face.

xXxXxXx

From the Ministry atrium, Mr. Bell side-along apparated Harry to his back yard. Harry noticed a wooden privacy fence kept their appearance from prying eyes. The house was a cute little two-story home, and Harry smiled at the yellow painting. It reminded him of the Lovegoods.

Mr. Bell announced their presence as they walked through the back door, into the dining room. It was connected to the kitchen, and Harry was surprised to see several appliances that most wizards found unnecessary. They didn't need a refrigerator to keep things cool, or a microwave to heat them up. He concluded they must be muggle-borns, holding onto their roots.

He followed Mr. Bell into the living room where he found another oddity. Their fireplace was a tiny little thing, which explained why they hadn't traveled by floo. There was a television in the room, couches and chair situated around it. He'd heard of them from the Diggory's but had never used one before. Looking around, Harry took in the many pictures lining the walls. There were pictures of Mr. Bell with who he assumed was Mrs. Bell, and several of their daughter at various ages. None of them moved. Harry walked up to one of the little girl on a slide, intending to poke it into action, but stopped as a women entered the room.

"Oh you must be Harry! It's so nice to finally meet you! I'm Lydia." Her hand extended towards Harry and he took it. Their handshake was much more normal then the one with her husband. She was slightly plump but Harry wouldn't have said she was fat. Her hair was brown like her husbands, and the longest he'd ever seen. It fell straight down to her butt, and Harry almost asked what spell she'd used to lengthen it.

"Nice to meet you too, Mrs. Bell," he greeted. Before he could say anything else a girl came running into the room. She was his height, with brown hair barely touching her shoulders.

"Harry!" she exclaimed, out of breathe. Harry was afraid she'd have her father's over zealousness."I'm Katie! I'm a year older than you. Going to Hogwarts this year, actually!" She started to extend her hand to shake his, then decided against it and went in for a hug instead. Harry barely patted her back in return, hoping to not encourage her.

When she pulled away, she took a look at where they were standing. "Looking at the pictures? Bet it's a shock they aren't moving, huh? That's because mom's a muggle!"

"Katie!" her dad scolded.

"What?" she answered. "She is. It's not like that's a bad word, dad. And Harry's going to find out. It's not a secret!" Katie returned her attention to Harry. "Dad's a wizard, of course. Our house is completely muggel-ized though. It's for my grandparents mostly. Mom doesn't mind magic, but her parents are a bit freaked out by it. Do you want a tour, Harry?" She spoke really fast, and it took Harry a moment to realize she'd asked a question.

"Yeah, sure. A tour would be good."

xXxXxXx

Harry found he enjoyed living with with a muggle. The food seemed to taste better with the hard work Mrs. Bell had put into making it. It was nice seeing an adult do things around the house the same way the he and any other kids had to. She couldn't just swish her wand to clean the dishes, or flick it to force the bed to make itself. Her manual labor was refreshing.

During the day, Mrs. Bell was a travel agent. Harry was fascinated to hear about the different places her clients had been and what kind of deals she was able to get for them. She seemed to love her work, and was often able to work from home, allowing her to make her own hours.

Mr. Bell was a salesman at an apothecary. He described it as a rather boring job, but Harry thought it would be fun to be around the various magical ingredient so regularly. It would be educational, at the very least.

When the Bells were away, they left Katie and Harry home alone, which was perfectly fine with Harry. The adults trusted them not to break anything or burn the house down (though Mr. Bell assured Harry in confidence not to worry so much, as he could fix anything when he came home), and they promised not to go out in sight of muggles where their accidental magic might be noticed.

Harry learned to have fun the muggle way with Katie. They kicked a football around the yard sometimes, and it never did anything or went anywhere they didn't kick it. The first few times they played Harry was weary that it was going to fly up at him any time. Sometimes they sat in front of the television, and popped in a movie. Harry was perplexed why wizards wouldn't want this in their life.

When Mrs. Bell was home, he learned how to cook simple meals without magical shortcuts. He found chopping vegetables to be soothing and thought he might continue in this manner even when he was an adult wizard, capable of chopping them with a spell. Katie thought he was crazy.

Katie lived to be outside, and anything that took her away from nature was looked down on. No tree was too high for her to climb and no lake too deep to swim. Harry noticed she seemed to excel at whatever sports she taught him, but wasn't sure if that was just his inexperience talking. She reminded him of Cedric that way.

xXxXxXx

A couple weeks into his life with the Bell's, Harry was scared awake by Katie. The light shake of his arm wasn't supposed to make him jump, but when he did Katie immediately clamped her hand on his mouth. "Shhh!" she commanded. "It's just me, relax! Come on, I want to show you something."

Harry half thought he was dreaming and was about to roll over and go back to sleep, but Katie turned back to him, beckoning him toward her. She looked impatient. Deciding to follow her, Harry crawled out of bed and made his way to the door. Together they made their way back to Katie's room, and to her open window.

Katie grabbed a folded blanket that lay waiting on her bed, and tossed it out the window. Then, she grinned at Harry, and climbed onto the sill.

"What are you doing? We're on the second floor" he hissed, coming closer to the window. He noticed a trellis lined the back wall of the house, and she carefully stepped onto it and began to climb down.

"Scared Harry?" The grin on her face grew with the taunt. "Come on, it's easy!" She jumped off the trellis when she was close to the ground, and waved back up at Harry. "Let's go, scaredy cat!"

Reluctantly, Harry climbed out the window, and carefully made his way down the wall. He was amazed his weight didn't pull the wood clear away from the house and topple him to the ground. That's just what he needed. The Ministry would probably call it neglect and take him away again.

Finally on the ground, Harry turned to Katie, slightly put-out. "Is there a reason we couldn't just take the stairs down and go through the back door?" he questioned.

Once again her grin widened, and she shrugged her shoulders. "Not really. This was just more fun! Let's go!" She grabbed onto his hand and ran to the middle of the back yard. "Here, help me with this," she demanded, handing one end of the unfolded blanket to Harry.

They spread it out on the ground and Katie promptly laid back on it, looking up at the sky. She looked up at Harry, still standing and patted the space next to her on the blanket." Well, what are you waiting for?"

Harry joined her on the ground, and his eyes immediately widened. "It's a meteor shower!" He exclaimed, turning to her.

"Shhh!" She was laughing as she tried to quiet him. "Do you _want_ to wake my parents up? They'll just send us back to bed!"

Both looking back at the sky now, they settled into the blanket and enjoyed the show. When the meteors had calmed down, she started pointing out her favorite stars, and Harry joined in, naming what constellations he knew.

After an hour, she turned to face him, still smiling. "Happy tenth, Harry. Glad I woke you up now?"

He turned toward her, nodding his head. "Yeah, this was brilliant, thanks." He turned back skyward and smiled too. "And you're right. Climbing down the trellis was better than the stairs." She laughed in response.

xXxXxX

In early August, the Bell family spent a day in Diagon Alley gathering all of Katie's school supplies. Her father got a discount at the apothecary, so they started there, much to Katie's displeasure.

"No fair! Let's start at Ollivanders! Dad, please! I've been waiting for a wand my whole life!"

"And you'll have it the rest of your life once you get it which will far outweigh your wait time. You'll get it soon, just relax! Enjoy today!"

They didn't spend long in the small store, but then her father announced they would hit Flourish and Blotts next.

"DAD! Ollivanders next! You said!" Harry found it hard not to laugh.

"You know," he tried to reassure her, "you'll still be getting it a whole year sooner than me. What's another hour?" She deflated at this, and trudged along with the family to the next store on the list.

After Flourish and Blotts, they were heading to Madam Malkin's, and Katie continued to sulk. She was staring at the ground, dragging her feet, and therfore didn't notice when they passed the robe shop. Harry was failing to suppress his smile, and feared he'd give away the surprise.

When they entered the next store, a bell floating overhead rang, announcing their presence.

"Alright let's get this over with," Katie sighed, resigned to her boring fate. She looked up to search for the stool she knew she'd be standing on, and froze in her tracks. Shelf after shelf filled the room, long rectangular boxes occupying them. Her head swiveled left and right, taking it all in, and then she squealed.

"Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Katie flung herself at her dad, hugging him as tight as she could.

He laughed, hugging her back. "You're welcome! Now don't say I never did anything for you."

"Never!" Katie released him and ran to the empty desk in front of them. "Mr. Ollivander!" she yelled. "I'm here to get my first wand!"

"Well of course you are, dear," came the answer from behind a shelf. An old man came into view and made his way to the excited girl. He was looking her up and down, and muttering to himself. Harry thought he heard him say "quite springy, yes" as he passed by.

Katie reached out and grabbed his hand as soon as he was close enough, and shook it vigorously. "Okay, so how do we do this? Do I just pick one?" She was walking towards the shelves before he had the chance to answer, so he grabbed her arm to stop her.

Under his breath Harry heard, "Rigid is definitely the wrong way to go." To her, Mr. Ollivander said, "No, Miss. Bell. The wand chooses the witch, not the other way around. We must only give the wands a chance to do so."

Harry watched on, envious, as Mr. Ollivander plucked three boxes off his shelves and brought them to his desk. He couldn't wait until it was him the wands were being chosen for.

"Tell me, Miss. Bell. Given the choice, would you rather read or write?"

Katie's face fell, confused. "Um, write I guess. But what does-"

"I thought so," he cut her off. "You're a girl of action." He pushed one of the boxes back further on his desk, and then opened the one closest to him.

At the sight of the wand, Katie's face lit up again. Mr. Ollivander held it out to her, and she had to force herself not to swipe it out of his hand. She took it calmly, staring at it.

"Well, go on," he urged.

Katie looked up at him for confirmation, and while facing a shelf, waved the wand through the air, creating a wide arc in front of her. The boxes flew into the air, lids popping off in all directions. The shelf itself was dismantled, pieces crashing to the ground. Katie gave a yelp of surprise, dropping her wand in the process.

Mr. Ollivander deftly plucked it out of the air, returning it to its cushioned box. "Not to worry dear. I've seen much worse reactions than that. Here, try this one." The second box on his desk lay open, wand in his hand held toward her.

Katie hesitated, then gently took it from him. As soon as she had a firm grip on it, gold sparks went flying. Mr. Bell started laughing and came up to pat her on the back. "Congratulations! Looks like you've got a wand!"

Katie looked from her wand to her dad and then up to Mr. Ollivander for confirmation. He nodded and she squealed, much as she had when they entered the store. She began to jump around, and Mr. Ollivander was quick to grab the wand out of her hand. "Ah, best not to play with it until you've learned what you're doing." He wrapped it back in its box, and soon they were out the door.

Now that she had what she wanted, Katie didn't care where they went. She kept up a rambling monologue of all the spells she couldn't wait to learn and tried to convince her dad to teach her early. More than once she exclaimed that hers was clearly the best wand out there and how jealous her classmates would be of it.

Harry was glad when the day was over, not wanting to hear another play by play of the exact moment she touched her wand for the first time.

xXxXxXx

With just a week left in August, her excitement died down, and nerves set in. She was pacing across her room, worrying her lip with her teeth and wringing an old stuffed bear in her hands. Harry was sprawled on her bed, looking at some of her school books.

"Harry, what if nobody likes me? I bet everyone else already has friends but I didn't grow up around other wizarding children! And I bet _their_ parents taught them _loads_ of spells! Ugh, I'm going to be so behind everyone! I bet I get laughed right out of school!"

Harry just laughed at how ridiculous she was being. "You have heard of muggle-borns haven't you? They'll know even less than you so stop worrying! If you want, I can write Cedric. He can sit with you on the train so you won't be alone, and I really think you guys would get along. You'll have a friend before you even reach Hogwarts!"

"Would you really do that for me?" She had stopped pacing and was staring at him now.

"Of course! And he won't mind, promise."

She sat down on the bed with him, calming down some. "I wish you were coming with me. How about we sneak you onto the train!"

Harry laughed again and shook his head. "I wish I was coming too, but I have to wait my turn just like everybody else. But I'll be there next year! We can hang out again then, and hey, we might even end up in the same house!"

"Oh, god!" She jumped back off the bed and whirled around to face him. "I hadn't even thought of houses! Harry, what if I end up in Slytherin! Or Ravenclaw, ew!" She'd started pacing again, and Harry was beginning to fear for the bear's limbs.

"Relax, Katie! Slytherin isn't all that bad! I'm friends with several people that come from Slytherin families! If you wind up there it just means you're cunning, which you are, by the way." She scoffed at him. "And I lived with a couple Ravenclaws before. They don't all have their nose stuck in a book like you're thinking! I promise, you'll be fine wherever you end up, and you'll make tons of friends!"

His reassurance did nothing for Katie, and she launched into an explanation of exactly why she would never survive as a Ravenclaw. Harry rolled his eyes. It was going to be a long week.

xXxXxXx

Finally, September arrived. Mrs. Bell had forced Katie to pack the night before, and then took her trunk away from her, preventing her from spending the whole night unpacking and repacking. They drove to King's cross station, Katie bouncing in her seat the whole way. They arrived with a half hour to spare before the train was set to leave.

When Mr. Bell explained how to get onto the platform, Katie ran straight at the wall in excitement. Harry followed after, but Mrs. Bell held back. Mr. Bell had to hold her hand as they walked through, practically pulling her along when she tried to slow down.

On the platform, Katie had grabbed Harry's hand and was squeezing. She kept pulling him left and right, pointing things out that she wanted him to turn his attention to. When Harry caught sight of Cedric he stopped her and took a turn at pointing.

"Look, there's Cedric. I'll introduce you." She hadn't loosened her death grip, so he pulled her along as he walked.

Mrs. Diggory saw him first and smiled. "Oh, Harry, dear! It's so good to see you again!" She closed the distance separating them and hugged him.

"It's good to see you too." He turned slightly towards her husband and greeted him with a nod of his head. "Mr. Diggory. Hey Ced, this is Katie. Katie, this is my friend Cedric Diggory."

Cedric smiled warmly and offered his hand. "It's nice to meet you. Harry tells me we have a lot in common. Want to sit with me on the train?"

Harry felt her grip relax, and breathed a sigh of relief. Leave it to Cedric to say the right thing.

She shook his hand and returned his sentiment, happily agreeing to accompany him on the train.

Before he knew it, Harry's friends were aboard the Hogwarts Express and it was leaving the station. He waved along with everyone else on the platform until the train was out of sight.

xXxXxXx

Being a muggle herself, Mrs. Bell had sent Katie to primary school among muggles. Now that Harry was living under her roof, she wanted him to do the same, but she wasn't going to force him. For his part, Harry had always been home schooled, as was usual for wizarding children. Though when he lived with the Diggorys the daycare took care of his education.

His time with the Lovegoods had advanced his knowledge of basic subjects past what was required of his age group, so Harry saw no need for attending primary school. However, he did agree to take a test of her own making to appease Mrs. Bell's anxiety that he would fall behind.

Reading, writing, and math were the same in both wizarding and muggle cultures, so those were easy to test. Harry excelled in all three, particularly impressing Mrs. Bell with his penmanship, a skill Harry had worked hard at to compete with his pureblood friends. His reading comprehension was of someone five years older, and he had a good grasp of basic geometry and algebra.

For other subjects, Mr. Bell had to help alter the questions to relate more specifically to wizarding matters. Harry always found history rather boring, but he knew enough to explain the founding of Hogwarts and the reasons leading to, as well as the results of, the ancient witch trials. When they came to science, the test had to be altered to relate more to potions and astronomy. Harry was able to identify the various cauldrons and their uses, as well as differentiate the importance of stirring in different directions. As for astronomy, Harry knew the order of the planets and most of the major constellations, but it wasn't a subject he'd studied at length.

Overall, Mrs. Bell was satisfied with his results, and agreed to let him have free reign of the house over the next year, which Harry was more than pleased to hear. He wasn't entirely comfortable with the idea of being surrounded by muggles. What if he was the cause of the next round of witch trials?

xXxXxXx

It was a full week after her departure that Katie finally wrote to check in with her family. She sent a letter for her parents, reassuring them that she was settling in and making friends. Another letter had been sent just for Harry, which he was happy to see.

 _Dear Harry,_

 _I'M IN GRYFFINDOR! Can you believe it? Of course you can, you knew all along that I was Gryffindor at heart! It's SUCH a relief! And thanks for introducing me to Cedric, he's awesome! We were joking the whole ride up and I got to meet several of his other friends as well. I don't know what I would've done without him to calm me down, so thanks again!_

 _Anyway, I can't wait until you're here! Hogwarts is seriously the most amazing place EVER! It's just so….magical! I don't even know where to begin! I bet you'll be in Gryffindor with me (you braved the trellis after all!), but it won't be easy! There's this seriously grueling test that determines your house, and it is NOT easy. But no worries, I'm sure you'll be fine._

 _Anyway, gotta go. A couple new friends invited me to play exploding snap! Write me soon!_

 _Katie_

Harry smiled down at the paper in his hands. He could tell she had indeed been in a hurry to write it. The words were running together and the ink was smudged in places, but it felt more like her this way.

He had received a letter from Cedric the day before, confirming the good time had on their journey to school. The previous year when Cedric started at Hogwarts he also hinted at a grueling test, but the fact that they had used the exact same wording to describe it made Harry think they'd planned it. Absently he wondered if it was actually something like drawing lots and all came down to luck. He thought he might prefer that, as it would make a good excuse if you wound up in a house you didn't want.

xXxXxXx

Throughout the year Harry kept up his correspondence with his two Hogwarts-attending friends, eager to hear all about their classes and the new people they were meeting. He wrote his other friends frequently as well, excitement gaining with each letter as they neared their own turns to attend Hogwarts.

Plenty of Harry's newfound free time was spent in front of the Bell's television, catching up on years of movies he'd missed out on. He also spent a fair bit of time cultivating the small garden they'd allowed him to start in the back yard. Mr. Bell had acquiesced to casting warming charms on the ground to enable him to grow things year around, but Harry had to comply with Mrs. Bell's stipulation that he grow solely "normal" plants. So, Harry settled on a vegetable garden. With Harry's care, and Mr. Bell's spells, tomatoes, potatoes, and carrots were growing in almost no time. Mrs. Bell was delighted to have the fresh ingredients to cook with.

Harry was happy to get out of the house occasionally too. They took a trip to the theatre when a good movie was showing, and out to eat at muggle restaurants when Mrs. Bell didn't feel like cooking. When Harry learned about amusement parks, they promised they'd go for his birthday, that way Katie could go too.

Harry found that his life here was blessedly normal, and wasn't shocked to discover that was exactly what they had bid for him. They offered a normal life for someone who was anything but, and provided the dual perspective of the world that comes from living with both a muggle and a wizard. Harry had to admit that he enjoyed it.

xXxXxXx

One Saturday, they took a trip to the zoo. Harry was excited by the concept but disappointed to learn that you could only _look_ at most animals and the "petting zoo" only included the more tame animals. He'd have loved to pet a lion or a monkey. They entered the reptile house in high spirits, but afterwards, Harry regretted ever going inside.

Most of the snakes and lizards were laying around their small terrariums, soaking up heat from their rocks or occasionally taking a drink, but one snake was actively slithering around his cage. When Harry came across it, he called Mr. and Mrs. Bell over to see, and turned back to the snake.

 _"Well you're an active fellow aren't you? What are you doing?"_ Harry was just thinking aloud, but the snake answered him.

 _"I need to ssshed."_ Harry jumped back from the glass and looked at a horror struck Mr. Bell.

"Did you here that? Tell me I'm not the only one that heard that?" When Mr. Bell just continued to stare, Harry turned to Mrs. Bell. "Mrs. Bell, you heard the snake, right?"

She laughed a little in response. "Of course I heard, Harry. I have ears, don't I? It was really cute that it answered your hiss with one of its own. I wonder if it understood you!"

Harry screwed his face up as she laughed. "Hissing? I didn't hiss. I mean did you hear it _talking!_ He said he was shedding!"

"Oh, Harry dear, that's just your imagination! But you-"

"No, Lydia. I don't think it was his imagination," Mr. Bell interrupted. The shock was gone from his face, replaced by fear. He grabbed a hold of his wife's arm and pulled her back a step away from Harry. "You didn't tell us you were a parselmouth, Harry."

Realization dawned on him at Mr. Bell's accusation. "I...I didn't know! I've never done it before, I swear! I didn't even know I'd done it just now!" Harry was working himself into a panic, his breathing erratic. They were going to kick him out now, he just knew it. _How did I never know what I am?_

Mrs. Bell pulled her arm out of her husband's grip and went to Harry. She wrapped him in a hug and was petting his hair. "It's alright Harry, just calm down. I don't understand what you guys are talking about, but I'm _sure_ ," she turned a glare to her husband, "that it's no big deal. Just relax and we'll figure this out, okay?"

Harry's breathing slowed, and he'd never been so thankful to live with someone who didn't know all about the magical world. Maybe she would be able to talk the hate out of her husband. Maybe she'd be able to talk the hate out of _Harry_ that he was now feeling for himself.

"Let's go home, shall we?" She still had one arm around Harry's shoulder as she escorted him from the zoo, leaving Mr. Bell to trail behind them several paces.

The ride home was completely silent. Harry starred down at his hands, continuing to question how he could've missed something so huge. How had he not known he was really a monster? What else was he capable of?

Mr. Bell kept sending surreptitious glances over his shoulder, keeping an eye on what Harry was doing. He had his wand clutched firmly in his hand, as if Harry would attack him any second. Mrs. Bell kept glancing at him disapprovingly, but didn't want to draw Harry's attention to her husband's hurtful actions by speaking up if he hadn't already noticed.

When they arrived back at the house, Mr. Bell flung himself out of the car, and then whirled around to face Harry. For his part, Harry hadn't even realized the car had stopped until Mrs. Bell informed him. He exited the car slowly, not wanting to seem threatening, and lead the way into the house.

In the living room, Harry sat alone in a chair, leaving the couch for the Bells. Mr. Bell chose to remain standing, wand still in hand.

"Oh this is ridiculous, Barnaby! Sit down and put your wand away!" He complied reluctantly, never taking his eyes off Harry. Harry hadn't looked up since leaving the zoo.

"Good. Now, will someone please explain for us poor uneducated muggle folk what exactly is going on?" She looked back and forth between the boys expectantly.

"He's a parselmouth, Lydia. He can talk to snakes!" Harry flinched at Mr. Bell's harsh tone.

"There's no need to yell, dear. This is a _calm_ discussion!" She took a deep breath to emphasize how calming she intended this to be. "So, you can talk to snakes, Harry? That seems like quite an extraordinary talent!"

"It's dark magic Lydia!" Mr. Bell interrupted, voice no calmer than before. "Speaking to snakes isn't normal, even in the wizarding world. It's the type of skill you generally see in dark lords. It's _evil_."

"Oh, stop it! This is _Harry_ we're talking about! He's been living here for half a year now, don't you think we'd know if he was evil? Harry, don't listen to him, all right? You're still the same boy now as when you woke up this morning, and I personally don't see you as _evil!"_

Harry shook his head, dismissing her words. "He's right, Mrs. Bell. Speaking to snakes _isn't_ normal. I didn't know...I mean, how could I have not known? I've never done this before, but I should've _known!_ " Harry felt himself working back towards hysterics.

"Oh, Harry." She got up, intending to go over and comfort him, but he stood up abruptly as she approached.

"I'm sorry Mr. and Mrs. Bell. I'll just go up and pack my things and be on my way." Harry turned towards the stairs, but didn't get very far.

"Nonsense! You'll do no such thing, Harry. You're part of this family now, and we don't just kick people out for being _different_! We would've abandoned Katie ages ago if that were the case!" She chuckled at her joke, but the men didn't utter a sound.

"If you want to go upstairs, that's fine, but no packing! Let's at least sleep on this, all right?" She looked between Harry and her husband until they'd both nodded their assent. "Good, then that's settled. I'm going to start dinner, I'll call you down when it's ready, Harry."

With the dismissal, Harry fled to the safety of his bedroom. He was surprised to find an envelope waiting for him on his bed, Luna's hand writing addressing the outside. The Lovegood's owl was perched on his bedpost, staring at him. When he opened the letter, he found two short sentences.

 _No matter the issue, I'll stand by you always. I'll be waiting for your letter._

Luna was exactly who he needed right now, and he was so glad to have her in his life. His response was much longer than he intended. Harry explained exactly what had happened, and how. More than once he emphasized his complete ignorance of this ability, and questioned how that could even be possible. More than anything, he rambled about his fears. The Bells were going to kick him out, the whole wizarding world would turn against him and he'd have nowhere to live, he was turning evil and couldn't even see it happening. He was a horrible person, he was cursed, he deserved to be alone.

Harry didn't stop until his hand cramped up and he simply couldn't continue. It only took a moment to seal the letter and send it on its way. Then, all he could do was wait.

xXxXxXx

Harry awake with a start when an envelope landed on his face. He jerked up in bed, surprised he'd been able to fall asleep at all. Half the night had been spent pacing as he waited impatiently for Luna to get back to him. He had completely skipped dinner, unable to face Mr. Bell again so soon. He wasn't ready to be kicked out yet.

Anxious to hear what she had to say, Harry tore open Luna's letter.

 _Harry,_

 _You've always been special, everyone knows that. Does it really surprise you to find yet another thing that sets you apart? It's great that you can talk to snakes, and I think it will be a really useful skill! For example, there's a snake currently in our garden that I've been trying to coax into this little habitat I made for her, but no matter how hard I try, she doesn't seem to realize how much better it is than her current home. I bet you could explain it to her for me!_

 _From what you've told me of the Bell's I don't think they'll kick you out, Harry. You know you can always return here though, if you no longer feel comfortable there. Dad and I miss you greatly._

 _You're not evil. You never have been and I know you won't ever be. Yes, you were cursed as a child, but not in the way you're suggesting. Extraordinary things happen to extraordinary people, whether you're ready for them or not. Learn to roll with it, own it, and no one will turn their back on you._

 _I'll be waiting to hear about your exciting snake adventures in the future, Harry!_

 _Luna_

He almost cried in relief. Harry _knew_ Luna wouldn't abandon him, but seeing it on paper reassured him. She always knew what he needed to hear, and he was already feeling better about his gift. Though, he still doubted he'd use it as often as Luna was suggesting. No, there were certainly no _snake adventures_ in his future.

xXxXxXx

At the breakfast table, Harry found the Bell's already eating and talking quietly to each other. Mrs. Bell noticed his approach and got up to retrieve some food for him. "I'm glad you decided to join us, Harry. We missed you at dinner." She handed him a plate with bacon, eggs, and toast on it.

He took it, and sat down, keeping his eyes averted from Mr. Bell. "Thank you," he responded for the food.

All were silent for a time as Harry began to eat. Finally, Mrs. Bell couldn't stand the silence any longer. "Barnaby and I talked quite a bit last night, _didn't we dear?_ "

Taking the hint, Mr. Bell grumbled his confirmation. "We, uh, _talked_ , yes." By his tone of voice, Harry had to wonder if Mrs. Bell had really shouted more than talked.

Mrs. Bell sent her husband an expectant glare, waiting for him to continue. "I want to apologize for yesterday, Harry. You did nothing wrong and I was very rude to you. We'd like you to remain here with us...if you'd like."

He hadn't looked at Harry even once while speaking, and Harry thought his wife was probably forcing his apology.

"Thank you, Mr. Bell. I'd like to stay, if you don't mind. And now that I know I can, I promise to avoid using parseltongue as long as I live under your roof. I'll stay out of your way as well, so if you'd like you can even act like I'm not here, and maybe you wont be so worried anymore."

Mrs. Bell scoffed at his suggestion. "Don't be silly, Harry. As long as you're part of our family you'll act like it! That included spending time with us, so don't try to weasel out of it!" Harry smiled at her gratefully, and returned to eating his breakfast. He'd try to stay out of Mr. Bell's way, no matter what his wife said.


	8. There's No Place Like Home

***Some lines in this chapter were taken directly from _Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's/Philosopher's Stone_ which, as we all know, was written through the glory and grace of J.K. Rowling.***

xXxXxXx

Katie came home for Christmas, something that Harry was more than happy about. He'd stayed true to his self-promise and tried to keep his distance from Mr. Bell, and limit his interactions with Mrs. Bell as well. Otherwise Mr. Bell would be throwing him skeptical looks from the corner of his eye, always waiting for Harry to make the wrong move. It was exhausting for Harry to spend his time acting like he'd never hurt a fly, so instead a majority of his time was spent alone.

On the other hand, Katie thought Harry's ability was "wicked." When he'd wrote to her, she'd replied in jealousy, exclaiming that she wanted something awesome and unique to set her apart. She was disappointed that he refused to let her see him speak to a snake in person.

Having Katie home meant a break from his solitude, and an end to the monotony of his room. On days when it snowed they threw snowballs and made angels. When the weather was clear they sipped hot cocoa on the back porch and Katie told him more about her friends. "These twins the year above me are hilarious! They're always cracking jokes and playing pranks on people. Oh, and they made the Quidditch team this year. Beaters! And they're brilliant!"

She had a lot to say about them, but Harry thought it was more due to their Quidditch abilities than anything. Katie was desperate to make the team the following year. "It's the only sport there! I _need_ to make the team, Harry!"

After the new year had come and gone, and Katie had been spirited away back to Hogwarts, Harry was once again alone.

xXxXxXx

Harry had read through his meager book collection multiple times. Through late night visits, he'd managed to exhaust Katie's collection as well. Hers weren't nearly as worn as his, and if he had to guess, most of them had never been opened. Thus, he didn't feel guilty in borrowing them without permission, as he doubted Katie would ever notice a cracked spine.

Sure, Harry got along great with Katie, and he knew if he simple _asked_ to borrow some books in a letter, she wouldn't hesitate to allow him. He'd wager she would just pawn them off on him, not wanting them back. But Harry found he was reluctant to ask for her permission. He didn't want to chance Mr. Bell finding out from an offhand comment Katie made, or even her outright mentioning it to Mr. Bell. Harry knew that Mr. Bell would throw a fit if he knew. He'd probably ward Katie's room so Harry could never enter it again, and that would just ruin everything.

That's where Harry's secrets began. When he was sure his guardians were asleep, Harry would sneak over to Katie's room, flashlight in hand, and ever so slowly shut her door to minimize any noise it could cause. The first time Harry had done this, he nearly turned back for fear that the door would creak and he'd be caught. It hadn't made a sound though, and thus began his new nightly ritual.

In Katie's room, Harry stole the quilt and pillow off her bed, and made himself comfy in a corner. He used the blanket as a makeshift tent over his head to provide him a safe space to use his flashlight to read. He'd remain for hours at a time, usually remaking Katie's bed and finally returning to his own room just before the adults awoke.

Harry found it comforting to be in Katie's room, and so never considered reading the books in his own. This was the closest Harry could really get to human contact for the time being, so he would make the most of it.

When he didn't want to read, he'd look through her things. It wasn't an invasion of privacy, not really anyway, because anything that mattered she would have taken to school, right? So Harry examined old childhood toys, both magical and muggle alike. He flipped through an album filled with family pictures depicting vacations and holidays. Stuffed under her bed he came across her secret stash of broken nick-nacks. The were figurines and mugs that were poorly glued back together and a picture frame that was missing its glass. Harry wondered if Katie's parents had ever noticed them all missing.

As the weather began to warm, Harry found himself keeping another secret. He still spent time in Katie's room nightly, but now, he often found himself climbing down the trellis into the back yard. Sometimes he'd lay on the ground and admire the sky, and other times he enjoyed climbing their large oak tree.

In April, Harry couldn't take being cooped up anymore, and decided to break the promise he'd made when the Bells first took him in. After climbing safely down the trellis, Harry made his way to the gate at the side of the house and stepped past the privacy fence.

His steps were slow at first, cautious. Harry looked around, ensuring no muggles were watching as he progressed to the front sidewalk. His pace began to increase as he distanced himself from the house, and before he noticed, he was running as fast as he could away from the Bells' residence.

Harry couldn't remember the last time he felt so free! There was no one around to watch his every move, no one afraid of what he might do, and he could do anything he wanted! But he was at a loss of what he should actually do. That first night, Harry ended up just wandering the neighborhood, wanting to see how the muggles lived.

As he became more confident that no one would notice, Harry began traveling farther each night. He found a nice park to play at, a good trail for hiking, and some great hiding places in case the need were to arise. More than once he considered not returning to the Bell's. He could just keep going one night, and they might not even notice right away. Harry didn't always go down to breakfast with them, so they might not think anything of his absence until supper time. He would have a good head start, and he was sure he'd be able to make it on his own.

He had made it this far on his own, hadn't he? Harry had spent his whole life feeling completely alone, with small blips of happiness to momentarily fight away his despair. As much as he might've felt that way, Harry always found himself admitting that it wasn't true. He had Luna and their father, Cedric, Blaise, Susan, and now he had Katie too. He wasn't alone, no matter how lonely he sometimes felt, and it was the thought of the friends he loved that gave him the nudge he needed back towards the Bell's each morning.

Then, late one night, Harry's outings spawned another secret. He came to find that he _liked_ talking to snakes. They didn't know him as The Boy Who Lived, or the next potential Dark Lord, but simply as a human who could speak to them. They had no expectations of him, and therefor he was unable to disappoint them. They were very straightforward, and Harry found that refreshing.

The first time he spoke to a snake since his zoo incident Harry didn't even realize he'd done it. He sat in the park on a swing, gently swaying in the breeze as he stared off, thinking. The rustle of a bush behind him alerted Harry, and he jumped off the swing and spun to face the sound.

"Is someone there?" he asked.

" _Just human, not food"_ came a quiet voice.

" _I can hear you, come out!"_ Harry demanded, started to get spooked.

" _He speaks it!"_

Harry didn't know what that meant, and he no longer felt like sticking around to find out. He left the park quickly, heading back to the Bell's earlier than usual.

After that, Harry stayed confined to the house for a few days, not wanting to tempt fate. But eventually, he missed his freedom and went out again. He found himself at the park almost immediately, sitting in another swing. There was no breeze to push him this time, so Harry began to spin in his seat. The chains above him wound together tighter and tighter and as he rotated. Movement out of the corner of his eye shocked him into letting his feet off the ground. Something was on the swing set with him.

The chains unwound and caused him to spin out of control. He tried to discern the shape now wrapped around the post beside him, but only saw a blur as he sped past. The swing slowed down as the chain finished unwinding and started to wind in the opposite direction.

Harry could see the snake now looped around the wood. He tried to jump back from it, but in the still-moving swing he only succeeded in tripping over himself and falling backwards out of the seat.

" _You speak it, yes?"_ the snake questioned. Now that Harry had a good look at it, he was surprised how small it was. It couldn't have been more than 45 cm, so Harry thought it must still be young. The snake, which Harry was pretty sure was male, seemed grayish, but it was hard to tell in the dark of the night. A black zig-zag type pattern ran the length of his back.

Harry started crawling backwards on his hands, not letting the serpent out of his sight. He might be small, but size didn't affect venom as far as Harry knew. In response, the snake slithered back down the structure, intending to come closer.

" _Stop!_ " Harry commanded. " _Just stay there!"_

" _I knew it was you. Same scent."_ The snake flicked his tongue out as if to prove his point.

Harry had never been stupid, so he put together the snakes meaning quickly. " _It was you a few nights ago, wasn't it?"_ Harry felt some of the tension leave his body. He hadn't almost been caught after all.

" _Yes. I've been waiting for your return, human."_

Harry's tension returned with the snake's admission. " _What do you want?"_ He continued to slowly crawl away.

" _I won't bite. Only curious. Humans don't speak it."_

" _What type of snake are you?"_

" _I am snake."_

" _I know, what type?"_ The snake raised its head higher and stared blankly.

" _Snake is snake. I am snake. You are human. Humans don't speak to snakes."_

Harry dropped the question for the time being. He would have to do some research and see if he could find out if this species was venomous. _"_ _Some humans do. Most can't and even less probably want to_ _though. Do you have a name? I'm Harry."_

" _Sssahehsha-a,"_ he answered. Harry was confused for a moment, having for some reason expected a human name. Maybe Phillip, or Carl, or even Bob. Harry almost laughed at his own thoughts, but the snake started slithering towards him again, freezing his actions.

Harry decided not to stop Sha's (the shortened name he decided on) advancement this time. Sha reached Harry's leg first, and climbed straight up it and to his torso. He then slithered under Harry's jacket, and found his way to the open neck hole. Harry held as still as he could, afraid of startling the serpent. His head leaned back as Sha emerged, and he couldn't help but jump a little when his tongue flicked out and brushed Harry's neck.

" _Humans taste weird."_ He said before tucking his head back into Harry's jacket with the rest of his body and curling up. _"But they are warm."_

Harry relaxed. _"I guess we are,"_ he admitted. Then, wanting to sate his own curiosity he asked, _"May I touch you?"_

" _Yes,"_ was Sha's simple answer.

Harry slowly reached under his jacket to find the invader. When he found it, Harry brushed his hand gently along Sha's back. His scales were smooth, not at all what Harry had pictured, and he could already feel where some of his warmth was transferring to Sha.

After that, Harry had a newfound friendship with Sha. The snake accompanied Harry on his nightly travels and listened to all Harry had to say. He didn't always understand the very human issues Harry had, so Harry did his best to explain things in terms a wild animal might comprehend.

If nothing else, Harry now felt that his gift was nothing to be ashamed of, and in fact felt lucky to have the ability to talk to snakes. Though he would greatly miss his new friend when he went to Hogwarts, Harry was immensely thankful to have met Sha.

XxxXxXx

Shopping for his Hogwarts supplies wasn't nearly as fun as it should have been. Mr. Bell had gone to the trouble of getting all the generic things on his own time, to limit the time he would have to spend in close proximity to Harry. Potion ingredients, a cauldron, books, parchment, and quills were the same for every first year, so Harry's presence was unnecessary. On top of that, Mr. Bell made an appointment with Madam Malkin to get Harry and Katie fitted for robes, to prevent a potential wait time if they were to show up unannounced.

Katie was furious to have not been invited on her father's outing. He had picked up all her new school supplies as well, knowing he wouldn't get away with taking her but not Harry. Lydia would never allow it.

Disappointed though he was to miss out on a trip to Diagon Alley, Harry was pleased to have his school books so early in the summer. Katie thought he was a stick in the mud, wanting to spend all day cooped up behind a book, and teased that he would _definitely_ be a Ravenclaw if he kept that up. As a result, Harry began reading his books in secret at night, leaving Katie none the wiser.

In the early morning on his birthday, the whole family went to Diagon Alley.

"Oh Dad! We _have to_ go to Fortescue's first for a scoop of ice cream!" Katie pleaded.

"No we don't _have to,_ " Mr. Bell mocked. "We'll be late for our appointment if we stop and it's much too early anyway. Come on."

"How about after then? It's Harry's birthday, dad! He _needs_ ice cream on this momentous occasion!"

Mr. Bell let out a sigh, knowing his daughter wouldn't quit until he gave in. "We'll see," he said, much to Katie's delight.

In the robe shop Harry's fitting was quick and painless and would've been uneventful (as Mr. Bell would have preferred) if Viola and Blaise Zabini hadn't walked in as Katie was taking her turn on the stool.

"Harry, darling, is that you?" Viola questioned, walking up to him. "I see you're still letting your hair grow wild. Shame, really." She brushed Harry's hair off his forehead as she talked, only for it to fall back into place as she let go. "How have you been dear? Find a good family? Or is the Ministry still as useless as always?"

Harry didn't know how to answer her without lying, and glad he was saved the trouble when Mr. Bell broke in.

"I'm sorry, but who exactly are you?" He sounded suspicious, and if Harry didn't know better he'd almost say Mr. Bell sounded protective.

"How rude of me not to introduce myself! I'm Viola Zabini, and this is my son Blaise." Harry couldn't help but notice that his friend looked bored as always, and smiled at his memories. "I was Harry's guardian for a time until some unfortunate circumstances had the Ministry butting in where they don't belong." The venom in her voice made it clear how she felt about the Ministry. She shook it off though, and replaced her smile. "And I assume you're Harry's current guardian?"

Mr. Bell seemed reluctant to talk to her at all but at least answered her query. "Yes, that's right, we are," he admitted, motioning to his wife. Mrs. Zabini stared expectantly, assuming he was going to give their names, but he did no such thing.

"Yes, well-" she began, intending on turning her attention back to Harry.

"My name's Katie," Katie announced from her place on the stool. "It's nice to meet you Blaise! Harry's told me all about you. Are you excited to start Hogwarts this year?"

Blaise raised an eyebrow in response and then looked pointedly at Harry. Harry knew Blaise preferred to keep to himself and decided to intervene.

"I'm sure he's thrilled Katie. Aren't all first years? Mrs. Zabini, this is Barnaby and Lydia Bell and their daughter. They are the family who I'm currently living with," Harry explained rather quickly. He then dropped his voice to a whisper, so as to exclude the Bells. "It's really great to see you both, honestly, but now's not really a great time. Things are..." Harry stole a glance at Mr. Bell, who was looking increasingly uncomfortable because of Harry's acquaintances. "...a bit strained right now. I'll see you on the train, yeah?" The last was directed at Blaise.

Blaise was quick to notice Mr. Bell's discomfort and understood exactly what the problem was. His family were known Slytherin, and while they hadn't sided with Voldemort, they were said to be a dark family. He had no interest in staying in bigoted company so gave Harry a quick nod. "See you then. Happy birthday, Harry." He walked farther into the store and disappeared behind a rack of robes, his mother following quickly behind with a small wave to Harry.

"Awww are they leaving already?" Katie whined as she finally stepped off the stool. "I wanted to meet one of your friends, Harry." She was pouting, but Harry was just relieved. He shrugged his answer and was happy to leave Madam Malkins.

All that was left for Harry to get was his wand so the Bells started towards Ollivanders.

"Oh Dad! There's Fortescues!" Katie announces, pointing a few shops down. "We can take a quick ice cream break, can't we?" She was bouncing with excitement, completely ignorant of her father's mood.

"Not now, Katie."

Katie visibly deflated, and Harry felt guilty. If he was a normal kid, with no ties to dark lords, Katie would've gotten ice cream the first time she asked. Not to mention she would've been allowed to go shopping for all of her things her self. Not for the first time Harry regretted staying with the Bells. Their lives could've been better if he'd chosen to leave.

A bell rang through the shop as they entered Ollivanders, and Harry's troubles left his thoughts. _This_ is the moment he had been waiting for. Magic wands were probably the most coveted item by wizarding children, and in that regard Harry was normal as can be. Cedric told him all about his wand, and he'd been here last year to witness Katie's wand choosing. And finally, he would get to have one too.

Mr. Ollivander was in full view as he worked to reshelve some wands, and immediately stopped when he saw who entered. He moved forward and spoke softy to his newest customer. "Good afternoon."

Harry jumped, as he ha been looking the opposite direction and didn't notice the old shop keeper's approach. "Hello," said Harry awkwardly.

He was nervous, as many newly 11-year-olds are in this shop. "Ah yes," Mr. Ollivander said. "Yes, yes. I thought I'd be seeing you soon. Harry Potter." Harry wasn't surprised that this man knew who he was – everyone seemed to – but he was surprised when Mr. Ollivander then went on to list his parents wands. Harry thought his memory was incredible.

Harry noticed Mr. Ollivander raising a hand towards Harry's forehead, and knew what was coming. Many people wanted to touch the scar, as if it might feel different than any of their own scars. He was used to it, and didn't back away from the touch.

Snapping out of his own memories, Mr. Ollivander returned to the moment at hand. "Well, now – Mr. Potter. Let me see."

He pulled out a tape measure and set it to take Harry's measurements. When it began to gauge the distance between his fingers Harry decided to speak his doubts. "Um, excuse me. Mr. Ollivander? Is this really necessary? I mean last year-"

"Ah you mean Miss Bell behind you? There are many types of wood, Mr. Potter, and each with its own unique characteristics. Then, there are three very different cores to be bound inside the various woods, and they too have their own qualities. Those two factors matter most, but there's always wand width and length to factor into the equation, as well as the wand's adaptability. That is to say, how flexible the wand will be between owners. The wand chooses the wizard, Mr. Potter!"

The tape had started measuring Harry's head while Mr. Ollivander talked, and Harry was thankful when it was finally called off.

"Sometimes a witch or wizard enters my shop and I already have a good idea what kind of wand will want them. For others, I have to go through many varieties to find the right match. And for others still-" Mr. Ollivander paused, looking Harry over once again. "-it's impossible to know where to start. So to answer your question, no, it wasn't necessary, but it certainly helps narrow things down."

He had been gathering boxes as he spoke and now laid them on his desk before Harry.

He opened them one at a time for Harry to try, and it didn't take long for Harry to become discouraged. Katie had a wand on her second wave, and he'd already been through fifteen. Some of the wands caused destruction as soon as he touched them, but others didn't seem to react at all. _Maybe I'm not a wizard after all,_ he thought dejectedly.

Finally, after much muttering from Mr. Ollivander, a wand chose Harry, and the warmth that spread from his fingertips was the best feeling he'd ever experienced.

As Mr. Ollivander explained his musings about the curiosity in Harry's new wand's origin, Harry paled and swallowed. Mr. Bell's reaction was more severe. "He won't be taking it! We'll take the last wand he tried and be on our way, thank you."

"Oh dear, really now that isn't fair," Mrs. Bell tried to reason. "Just because two things are related it doesn't make them the same."

Mr. Bell didn't want to be reasoned with, and again demanded a different wand for Harry.

"No," Harry said coolly. He was looking straight at Mr. Bell and refused to back down. "You are my guardian, yes, but you are _not_ my father, Mr. Bell. If you don't want to get me this wand that is perfectly fine, as I _do_ have my own money. This isn't your decision." Turning now to Mr. Ollivander, Harry tried to sound more chipper. "How much will that be?"

Harry handed over the money owed and took the bag holding his new wand. He left the shop, Katie and Mrs. Bell close behind, while Mr. Bell stood gaping.

XxxXxXx

Harry didn't know what to do when September first had finally arrived and he was faced with a new problem. He'd never considered himself to have an abundance of friends, but now Harry realized that was because he was only ever able to write to them. Some he hadn't actually seen in years! Susan was standing with her friend Hannah (who Harry thought seemed rather shy), and next to Cedric because they knew each other from daycare. On Cedric's other side was Katie, hands on her hips and impatience on her face. Blaise was standing with Pansy, Theodore, and Draco, who had Crabbe and Goyle looming behind him. Everyone's parents were dancing around them, making last minute checks of luggage and trying to get final hugs in, but the kids mostly ignored this.

Harry's friends were all looking at him expectantly, waiting for him choose who to join on the train. _Why didn't I think about this before!_ he thought, unable to make up his mind. He wondered where Luna would stand among the group, or if she'd have a solution to his problem.

"Well, do you think we'll all fit in one compartment?" Harry asked, hoping the train might be bigger on the inside than it looked.

"No, mate, definitely not," answered Cedric, who had the most experience riding the Hogwarts Express.

"Okay then how about we get two adjacent compartments and we can just flit between them as we travel?"

"Fine with me," Cedric agreed.

"It's not fine with me. I certainly will not _flit_ between compartments." Harry wasn't surprised to hear Draco's stance on the matter.

"It really is a bit silly. Susan, I see the Patil twins just over there. Why don't we sit with them? I'm sure we'll see Harry – and everyone – plenty at school..." Hannah reasoned.

Susan looked at Harry and then to where her friend was pointing. She sighed, disappointed, and nodded. "You're right. Well, bye Harry. We'll see you at school!" Harry waved them off, upset that he had failed to find a solution that included everyone.

"Really, Harry, just come sit with us," Draco pipped up. "We don't know them," he waved his hand in Cedric and Katie's direction, "and are probably better off not associating with their lot." Crabbe and Goyle nodded along behind him.

Harry was starting to get mad. "Oh I see. Well Draco, I'm going to go commandeer a compartment with Cedric and Katie. When you grow out of your prejudices you're free to join us! The rest of you are welcome as well, so long as you don't hold his views."

Harry grabbed his things and strode in a huff to the train. Cedric and Katie were quick to follow, the latter with a smirk on her face.

"Well I'm certainly _not_ missing this chance, wait up!" Pansy called after them, not at all caring who else was around if she got to spend time with Harry.

Draco was speechless for only a moment as he watched the group leave. "Right well, Crabbe, Goyle, you'll have to sit somewhere else. We can't all cram into Harry compartment." Draco strode off, not waiting to see if they'd obey his command. Blaise followed with a shrug of his shoulders.

Theodore Nott, opted out, deciding to find some other friends to sit with.

xXxXxXx

As the train left the station, Harry was feeling alone again. Everyone on the platform was waving their children off, and his friends were crowding the window to bid their final farewells. Harry had caught a glimpse of the Bells through the window, as well as the Diggorys, Macmillans, and Mrs. Zabini. He ducked back, having no desire to wave, and not really expecting anyone to be waving him off anyway.

As everyone settled back down, Harry found himself next to the window, across from Blaise who was staring out at the passing scenery. Next to Blaise was a pouting Pansy, unhappy to have been pushed so far from Harry. Draco was nearest the door on their bench. Katie ended up sandwiched between him and Cedric on their side.

Harry smiled and made formal introductions for those who didn't know each other. The lack of enthusiasm on half the compartment's faces was worrisome, but Harry didn't know what to do about that. Katie was grinning, like this was the exact scenario she'd been hoping for.

Cedric left almost immediately, wanting to find a few of his other friends, but promised to return quickly.

Katie chatted about the various things she was excited about returning to Hogwarts for, filling the silence left by the others. Harry commented and asked questions regularly, trying to bring the others into the conversation. "How are the greenhouses?" he asked before turning to Blaise to add, "I bet you're excited for Herbology, huh?"

Blaise shrugged, staring out the window as he had most of the trip so far. Katie turned to him. "You like Herbology? I like it too. That and Astronomy are the only outdoor classes, so they're my favorites. Professor Sprout is really nice, and she's _really_ enthusiastic about plants. Just about everyone likes her."

Blaise was facing her now, unsure how to proceed. "Does she have a pretty wide range of plants?"

"Oh yeah! There's loads of different ones. She gives extra points if you can identify them before anyone else, and she really likes people who aren't afraid to get a little dirty, so be ready to just dive right in!"

Blaise nodded his understanding, now impressed that she apparently didn't mind getting dirty. Most of the girls he knew would run the other way. By the look Pansy was sending Katie, he could tell she was one of them.

Blaise's acceptance helped break the ice for the others. Before long they were joking around, if not like old friends, at least like they didn't each hate the other. Harry breathed a sigh of relief.

When Cedric returned, the two oldest members of the compartment started talking about Quidditch, and whether Katie would make her house team this year, as Cedric had done his second year. This was a conversation Harry and Draco were happy to join in on, each expressing their own desire to be on the teams.

"Oh, which team is that?" Cedric questioned. "What house do you think you'll be in?"

"Oh that's easy. I'll be in Slytherin, just like every Malfoy before me." Draco sounded exceptionally proud of that fact, clearly displaying his thought of other houses.

Cedric turned to Blaise and Pansy, asking them the same question.

"I'll be Slytherin too, not a doubt in my mind. But their colors are horrible on me, ugh!" Pansy at least didn't make Slytherin out to be the best house.

"Slytherin," Blaise answered simply. He turned back to the window before adding softly, "But I wouldn't mind Ravenclaw."

"What about you, Harry?" Katie asked, giving him a nudge.

Harry looked at her, frowning. "He'll be Slytherin too, of course!" Draco answered for him as if it was the obvious answer.

"No way!" Katie disagreed. "He's got Gryffindor written all over him! Tell 'em, Harry!"

"I don't know, Katie. He seems more like a Ravenclaw to me."

"Ced, you're a Hufflepuff! Shouldn't you be advocating for your own house?"

Cedric laughed and rubbed his arm. "Maybe! I mean, he certainly has Puff qualities too, I just don't know if that's where he belongs. Not that I wouldn't be thrilled for you to join my house Harry!" He looked at Harry apologetically.

Pansy decided to join their game. "As much as I want you to be Slytherin, Harry _, I_ think you're much more of a Hufflepuff."

Harry was looking back and forth between his friends as they argued their points, mouth open. They all seemed to have put more thought into his house than he had. Harry knew there was some way (Katie still swore it was a gruesome test) that houses were decided, and that he wouldn't get to just pick, so he hadn't wasted his time deciding which he wanted. He didn't want to end up disappointed if he was placed somewhere else.

Cedric turned to Blaise, the only one who hadn't weighed in on their debate. "What about you, Zabini? Where do you think Harry will be placed?"

Blaise looked at Harry, considering. "I dunno. He certainly has traits of all four, doesn't he? Relax, Harry. You'll be fine in whichever house you're placed."

Harry smiled at him gratefully, but his inner turmoil sparked back to life as Draco joked. "Maybe they'll just give him a house all his own where the perfect embodiment of all four founders are placed! You'll be a Grufferven!"

This caused laughs all around at the ridiculousness of that option, except in Harry's case. _What if I_ don't _get placed in a house. Will they send me away? They wouldn't be the first to do so._ Harry's thoughts troubled him the remainder of the ride.

xXxXxXx

As they left the train, Harry excused himself to find Susan and Hannah, wanting to at least spend a little time with the duo. He followed them into a boat, fidgeting nervously as they crossed the lake.

Susan noticed, and grabbed his hands to stop their movement. "Don't worry Harry. The boats are magic, I'm sure you won't fall out or anything." Harry looked at her confused before he realized the boats were now moving across the lake.

"That's not-" As he started to explain, Harry looked up to see the Castle coming into view. "Look!" he practically yelled, throwing Susan's attention behind her. She did, and along with Hannah, they gaped in awe. They all knew the basics about Hogwarts and that it was a castle unlike any other, but this far exceeded their expectations. Lights in the windows gave the castle a glowing effect. The misshaped and variously sized towers made it appear to be floating. The grounds were vast and Harry could make out smaller buildings in the distance that he assumed were the greenhouses. He wanted to explore every inch of it.

Fear momentarily forgotten, they rode in silence, taking in their surroundings.

xXxXxXx

Some people were visibly shaking, and Harry silently hoped his nerves weren't as obvious as theirs. One girl sounded like she was praying for the house she wanted, and he could hear another going on about Hogwarts facts that he felt didn't matter _right this second_.

Every eye in the Great Hall was trained on them now that the hat was done singing and they awaited their trial. Harry wanted to yell that this wasn't a show and why don't they mind their own business, but he didn't think that would go over well. _What d_ _oes_ _that make_ _me_ _?_ _Maybe I'm_ _a coward for not speaking up, so_ _I can rule_ _Gryffindor_ _out. Is it_ _self-preservation_ _and cunning for keeping my mouth shut when I should? Or maybe that's intelligence? And what about Hufflepuff? Does that make me more or less one of them?_ Harry had analyzed most of his thoughts in a similar manner throughout the day.

Before Harry could work himself up anymore, ice seemed to wash over him as he heard Professor McGonagall call Hannah Abbott. He froze in place, a new worry overtaking him. _Will any of my friends be with me?_ It was too late to think about it, because the sorting had officially begun.

"HUFFLEPUFF!" shouted the hat.

As she whipped the hat off her head, a smile broke out on Hannah's face. She sped over to the table that was cheering for her, and sat next to Cedric.

When Susan was also declared Hufflepuff, she too joined the table, sitting right between her two friends. Harry was happy for her, noticing the relief and joy in her eyes. He hoped he would be as pleased with his placement.

As the sorting continued, Harry found he knew several of his year mates, by name if not in person. Some he had met briefly on Mrs. Zabini's outings, others at Pansy's party. Some were just names he vaguely recalled her mentioning in a letter.

When Draco was called, Harry thought his swagger was a little over the top; this wasn't a runway. He wasn't surprised by the result ("SLYTHERIN"), but Harry was shocked at how instantaneous the response was. It was by far the fastest anyone had been sorted.

Pansy gave Harry a little wave as she pranced up to the waiting stool. Her reaction to being called was completely foreign to Harry. How could she be _happy_ right now? He didn't know how many people here would have a 'P' last name, but it couldn't be many, which meant he could be called _next_! He wasn't ready! Where would he get placed?

Harry was on the verge of hyperventilating when McGonagall finally put him out of his misery. "Potter, Harry!"

Whispers broke out across the hall, even among the staff. Harry felt like he was a child again, being put on display for the masses to gawk at. Blaise shook him back to reality, nudging him forward. "Don't freak. The sooner you get up there and get sorted, the sooner they can move onto the next person and forget about you."

Harry nodded, not fully believing Blaise. They wouldn't forget about him so easily. _Well don't I have a big head? Slytherin for sure!_ Harry took a deep breath and made his way to the stool where he swiveled to face his on-lookers, and sat. The hat was on his head and falling over his eyes in an instant.

The darkness was welcome, if not the sudden voice in his head. "Hmm, very difficult. Plenty of courage, I see, though you seem to doubt that."

Harry flinched. "How do you know what I'm thinking?" he thought, but the hat ignored him.

"Not a bad mind either. There's talent, oh my goodness, yes – and a nice thirst to prove yourself, now that's interesting..."

"I don't belong anywhere," Harry thought, thinking of his life as a whole.

"Well that's just nonsense! Everyone belongs somewhere, but some people are lucky enough to belong many places, and I believe that to be the case with you. You have traits of each house, so which would _you_ most like to join?"

Harry didn't have an answer for the hat. "Wherever I'm most wanted. I just want to have a family."

The hat mulled that over a moment, and Harry grew increasingly aware of how long he'd been sitting here. He couldn't see the stares, but the whispers had grown in volume. He wanted to disappear.

"Hufflepuff houses the kindest and most loyal….they'll stick by your side if that is what you want. But Ravenclaw would be a good fit for your mind, and they would help push you to greater heights – no I can see you dislike the competition it can spawn. Slytherins are cunning and can be cutthroat, true, but sway them to your side and they'll never leave it. And it seems you have an affinity for snakes already… Gryffindor is quite the rowdy bunch, possibly the most like an _actual_ family in their mannerisms and ways. So wheeeere to put you?"

The sorting hat drew out his last question, searching Harry's mind for a knee-jerk reaction. But Harry didn't even want a house now, he just wanted the whispers to stop. He was contemplating pulling the hat off and making a run for it when the hat finally screamed, "HUFFLEPUFF!"

The unexpected shout caused Harry to jump right off the stool, knocking it over in the process. The Hufflepuff table was on their feet too, cheering and whistling their newest member. They drowned out the chuckles he could see coming from some of the other houses at his clumsiness. Harry thrust the hat into McGonagall's hand and ran to his new table. Cedric made some room for Harry next to him, and clapped him on the back as he sat.

 _This might be my best home yet._

* * *

Well, that's it! This is where I had planned on ending Harry's tale so I hope you enjoyed the ride! I actually began with a different House in mind for Harry, and pretty much every chapter I wrote I was picturing him ending in a different Hogwarts House. As you read, I ended up picking Hufflepuff, and I hope that doesn't disappoint too many of you!

Thank you so much to all my readers and especially to my reviewers! You guys are great, and I love you!


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